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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. staff — employees
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pitch — completely
  9. staff — employees
  10. mug — a cup
  11. object — to protest
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. degree — temperature
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. mug — to rob
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. object — an aim
  18. mug — a face
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. degree — an amount
  22. object — a thing
  23. degree — from a university
  24. staff — a stick

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