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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. present — there
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. degree — temperature
  9. tube — the underground
  10. degree — an amount
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. degree — from a university
  16. present — the time now
  17. deal — to handle
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. tube — a container
  22. wake — a trail
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. fine — a penalty

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