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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. swing — music
  6. degree — an amount
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. prune — to trim
  10. swing — to play on
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. board — a committee
  13. swing — in golf
  14. deal — to handle
  15. degree — from a university
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bulb — for light
  19. board — to get on
  20. degree — temperature
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. fan — a supporter

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