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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. spell — a short time
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. present — a gift
  6. degree — temperature
  7. can — a tin
  8. drill — the tool
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. can — to be able to
  12. degree — an amount
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. spell — magic
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. degree — from a university
  20. present — there
  21. drill — army training
  22. spell — letters
  23. present — the time now
  24. drill — a practice

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