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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. branch — a division
  7. toast — bread
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. degree — temperature
  10. mug — a face
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. degree — from a university
  16. degree — an amount
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. squash — to crush
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. ball — a great time
  21. rush — hurry
  22. mug — to rob
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. ball — a dance

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