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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. can — a tin
  3. club — for dancing
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. club — for golf
  8. mate — to breed
  9. can — to be able to
  10. degree — an amount
  11. mate — a partner
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. degree — temperature
  15. mate — a friend
  16. ground — the earth
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a grade
  19. can — a tin
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. degree — from a university
  22. mark — a trace
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. club — a group

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