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

Word bank: degree · roll · pit · straw · toast · bay · racket · present

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. roll — a cake
  4. present — a gift
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. roll — a list
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. pit — in a race
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. degree — an amount
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. toast — bread
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pit — a hole
  19. present — there
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. degree — from a university
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. roll — on a roll

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