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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: coach · arm · toast · firm · mark · degree · cap · pop

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mark — a trace
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. degree — from a university
  7. degree — temperature
  8. pop — to visit
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. degree — an amount
  11. firm — a company
  12. pop — soda
  13. cap — a lid
  14. toast — bread
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. cap — of ice
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pop — music
  19. firm — steady
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. firm — decided
  22. cap — a hat
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. arm — part of the body

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