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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. lean — thin
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. vault — a safe
  13. degree — from a university
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. degree — an amount
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pitch — completely
  24. toast — bread

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com