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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. degree — temperature
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. scale — size or range
  7. rock — a stone
  8. degree — from a university
  9. prune — to trim
  10. degree — an amount
  11. rock — music
  12. prune — to trim
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fall — to drop
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fall — to drop
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fall — the season
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. rock — to move gently

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