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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
468
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 · roll · mark · pitch · rest · bound · craft · tube

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. degree — from a university
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. pitch — completely
  5. degree — temperature
  6. mark — a trace
  7. craft — boats
  8. bound — certain
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bound — tied together
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. tube — a container
  13. roll — a cake
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rest — what's left
  16. degree — an amount
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. roll — a list
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bound — obliged
  21. craft — a skill
  22. tube — the underground
  23. rest — a break
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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