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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bass — low music
  3. bank — for money
  4. degree — from a university
  5. degree — an amount
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bank — for money
  14. season — in sport
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. season — of the year
  19. degree — temperature
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bass — the fish
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. snap — to click

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