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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. toast — bread
  3. net — for catching
  4. degree — an amount
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. degree — from a university
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. net — in sport
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bass — the fish
  11. net — after costs
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bass — low music
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. degree — temperature
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. rush — hurry
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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