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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: dip · drill · cabinet · degree · mate · stand · prune · toast

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. degree — an amount
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. prune — to trim
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. mate — to breed
  10. degree — from a university
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mate — a friend
  13. drill — the tool
  14. dip — to sink
  15. degree — temperature
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. drill — army training
  21. toast — bread
  22. drill — a practice
  23. stand — to bear
  24. mate — a partner

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