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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
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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: mine · mark · toast · staff · object · mug · race · degree

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mug — a face
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mine — for digging
  7. staff — employees
  8. race — the arms race
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mark — a grade
  11. object — a thing
  12. race — humankind
  13. staff — a stick
  14. degree — from a university
  15. degree — an amount
  16. object — to protest
  17. toast — bread
  18. race — a contest
  19. object — an aim
  20. staff — employees
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. degree — temperature
  23. mug — a cup
  24. toast — the most admired

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