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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. degree — temperature
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. degree — an amount
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. wake — a trail
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. degree — from a university
  16. tube — the underground
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. ground — crushed
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. deal — an agreement

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