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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. game — a match
  3. degree — an amount
  4. degree — from a university
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. degree — temperature
  7. ball — a dance
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. game — wild animals
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. ball — a great time
  20. suit — to fit
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. suit — in cards

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