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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: fall · sharp · court · degree · stand · toast · safe · pitcher

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. degree — an amount
  5. degree — temperature
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. court — of law
  9. degree — from a university
  10. sharp — clever
  11. toast — bread
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. fall — the season
  15. stand — to bear
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. court — of a king
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. court — for sport
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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