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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: rock · mark · net · degree · dip · perch · pit · toast

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. net — in sport
  3. net — after costs
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mark — a grade
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — bread
  9. degree — an amount
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rock — music
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. mark — a trace
  15. degree — temperature
  16. net — for catching
  17. degree — from a university
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. perch — the fish
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. rock — a stone
  24. dip — to sink

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