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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 120 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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. degree — an amount
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bear — the animal
  5. can — a tin
  6. board — a committee
  7. mate — a friend
  8. wake — a trail
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. degree — temperature
  14. pass — a permit
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. mate — to breed
  19. can — to be able to
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. mate — a partner
  22. can — a tin
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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