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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. hand — help
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. season — of the year
  5. season — in sport
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. degree — from a university
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. foot — a measure
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. hand — in cards
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. degree — an amount
  20. snap — to click
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. degree — temperature
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. vault — a safe

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