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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. hand — in cards
  3. degree — temperature
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — to protest
  6. club — for dancing
  7. suit — in cards
  8. degree — an amount
  9. club — for golf
  10. object — an aim
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. club — a group
  15. degree — from a university
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mug — a cup
  19. lie — to recline
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mug — to rob
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — part of the body

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