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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. degree — temperature
  5. mark — a grade
  6. file — a line of people
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mate — a partner
  9. degree — an amount
  10. file — a tool
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. degree — from a university
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. mate — to breed
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mate — a friend
  22. file — a document
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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