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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 116 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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. capital — money
  3. file — a tool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. file — a document
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. cue — for pool
  8. degree — from a university
  9. file — a line of people
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — a city
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. degree — temperature
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — in sport
  16. cue — a signal
  17. suit — clothes
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. degree — an amount
  21. suit — in cards
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. suit — to fit
  24. ruler — for measuring

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