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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: bowl · chair · leaves · object · degree · sharp · pit · toast

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. object — an aim
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. pit — a hole
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — in a race
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. object — a thing
  13. degree — from a university
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. degree — temperature
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. degree — an amount
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. object — to protest
  23. toast — bread
  24. chair — a leader

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