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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: degree · lean · mark · rest · nail · pass · saw · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. degree — temperature
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. mark — a grade
  9. rest — a break
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. mark — a trace
  13. saw — the tool
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. degree — from a university
  17. pass — a permit
  18. degree — an amount
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. saw — the tool
  22. lean — thin
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pass — to spend time

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