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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.

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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. degree — from a university
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. tube — a container
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. tube — the underground
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. foot — a measure
  20. degree — an amount
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. foot — part of the body
  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