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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. squash — the sport
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. current — of water
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. perch — the fish
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. degree — an amount
  11. degree — from a university
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pass — a permit
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. current — electric
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. current — happening now
  21. squash — to crush
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. degree — temperature

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