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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 · toast · temple · ball · squash · mark · current · pit

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. current — electric
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mark — a trace
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mark — a grade
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. current — happening now
  10. degree — temperature
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. squash — the sport
  16. degree — from a university
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. current — of water
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. pit — in a race
  23. degree — an amount
  24. toast — bread

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