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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. scale — size or range
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. degree — temperature
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. can — to be able to
  12. degree — an amount
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. can — a tin
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. scale — in music
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. toast — bread
  20. firm — decided
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. degree — from a university
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. can — a tin

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