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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: squash · safe · row · dip · suit · toast · pitch · degree

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. dip — to sink
  4. toast — bread
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. degree — temperature
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. suit — clothes
  13. degree — from a university
  14. suit — in cards
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. suit — to fit
  18. pitch — completely
  19. squash — the sport
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. row — to paddle
  22. degree — an amount
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. row — a line

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