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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. degree — an amount
  4. degree — temperature
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. rock — a stone
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rock — music
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. prune — to trim
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bank — for money
  18. chair — a leader
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. degree — from a university
  24. leaves — to go away

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