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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — steady
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bat — the animal
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. prune — to trim
  14. mark — a trace
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. degree — from a university
  21. lie — to recline
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. firm — decided

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