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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: board · degree · fine · rock · rush · trunk · pitch · toast

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. board — to get on
  5. degree — temperature
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rock — music
  11. degree — an amount
  12. board — a committee
  13. degree — from a university
  14. fine — high quality
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. rush — hurry
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — completely
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rock — a stone
  21. toast — bread
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — all right

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