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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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468
Word bank
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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  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. perch — for a bird
  3. press — to push
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. sharp — clever
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. press — newspapers
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. suit — clothes
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. key — for a lock
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. key — in music
  16. degree — an amount
  17. perch — the fish
  18. degree — from a university
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. press — a publisher
  21. key — the most important part
  22. suit — to fit
  23. sharp — with an edge
  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