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

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bank — for money
  6. board — a committee
  7. track — a path
  8. court — of a king
  9. track — to keep track
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. court — of law
  12. track — a song
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bank — of a river
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. scale — in music
  17. bank — for money
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — from a university
  20. board — to get on
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. court — for sport
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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