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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 116 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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. fine — high quality
  3. board — to get on
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. firm — decided
  7. rock — a stone
  8. degree — temperature
  9. firm — a company
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. firm — steady
  13. game — a match
  14. game — wild animals
  15. fine — all right
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. degree — from a university
  18. board — a committee
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. degree — an amount
  24. branch — of a tree

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