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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. mug — to rob
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. present — the time now
  6. mug — a cup
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. present — a gift
  9. mug — a face
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. dip — to sink
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. degree — from a university
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. degree — an amount
  18. present — there
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. toast — bread
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. sharp — clever
  23. wake — a trail
  24. degree — temperature

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