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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: safe · rash · toast · pitch · object · lean · foot · degree

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. object — to protest
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — completely
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — an aim
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. toast — bread
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. foot — a measure
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — thin
  19. degree — an amount
  20. degree — from a university
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. degree — temperature
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. rash — a series

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