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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: trunk · degree · toast · bore · foot · pit · safe · tube

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. degree — temperature
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. degree — from a university
  9. toast — bread
  10. degree — an amount
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. tube — the underground
  14. pit — in a race
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. pit — a hole
  17. tube — a container
  18. foot — a measure
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bore — to drill
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — gave birth

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