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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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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: pass · toast · degree · pound · pit · squash · dip · trunk

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. dip — to sink
  4. squash — to crush
  5. degree — temperature
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. pass — a permit
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. squash — the sport
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. pit — a hole
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. toast — bread
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. degree — an amount
  24. degree — from a university

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