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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · toast · degree · ground · sharp · tear · key · bay

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. tear — from crying
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. degree — temperature
  5. degree — an amount
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. ground — the earth
  8. key — in music
  9. sharp — clever
  10. ground — a position
  11. can — a tin
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. can — to be able to
  14. key — the most important part
  15. tear — from crying
  16. ground — crushed
  17. tear — to rip
  18. key — for a lock
  19. toast — bread
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. can — a tin
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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