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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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. pound — to hit hard
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bass — the fish
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. press — a publisher
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pound — a weight
  15. press — newspapers
  16. degree — an amount
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. can — a tin
  20. bass — low music
  21. can — a tin
  22. wax — to grow
  23. press — to push
  24. wax — for sculpting

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