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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: ball · degree · toast · swing · pitch · deal · current · temple

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. current — of water
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. swing — in golf
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. toast — bread
  9. current — electric
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. swing — to play on
  12. pitch — completely
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. current — happening now
  16. degree — temperature
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. swing — music
  20. ball — a dance
  21. deal — to handle
  22. degree — from a university
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. degree — an amount

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