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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rest — what's left
  4. net — in sport
  5. bore — to tire
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rest — a break
  10. net — after costs
  11. degree — temperature
  12. mate — a partner
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bank — for money
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. degree — an amount
  20. rule — government
  21. net — for catching
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mate — a friend
  24. degree — from a university

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