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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wind — moving air
  3. object — a thing
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. object — an aim
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. suit — in cards
  10. root — the cause
  11. wind — moving air
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. object — to protest
  14. degree — an amount
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. degree — from a university
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. root — of a plant
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. degree — temperature
  24. root — of a word

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