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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.

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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. court — of law
  4. degree — an amount
  5. court — for sport
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. pit — a hole
  8. wind — moving air
  9. can — a tin
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wind — moving air
  12. court — of a king
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — in a race
  15. degree — temperature
  16. can — to be able to
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. degree — from a university
  20. suit — in cards
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. suit — clothes

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