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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 120 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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. degree — temperature
  3. deal — to handle
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. suit — to fit
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bore — to drill
  11. suit — clothes
  12. degree — an amount
  13. wind — moving air
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. degree — from a university
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — a big deal

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