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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. sharp — clever
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. degree — from a university
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. tube — a container
  9. board — a committee
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. tube — the underground
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. degree — temperature
  14. pass — a permit
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. degree — an amount
  17. board — to get on
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. suit — in cards
  20. lean — to bend
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. lean — thin
  24. lash — an eyelash

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