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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — to paddle
  3. degree — from a university
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rest — a break
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wake — a trail
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. degree — an amount
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. charge — a price
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. charge — in control
  21. degree — temperature
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. charge — electricity
  24. wave — with your hand

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