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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. kick — in football
  3. board — a committee
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. tube — a container
  7. degree — temperature
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. degree — from a university
  10. degree — an amount
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — the underground
  20. lie — to recline
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. row — to paddle
  23. row — a line
  24. lash — an eyelash

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