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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 120 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pitch — completely
  5. degree — an amount
  6. track — a song
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. degree — from a university
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. track — a path
  12. degree — temperature
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bore — to tire
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. chest — a box
  18. bore — to drill
  19. track — to keep track
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. dip — to sink
  23. chest — of your body
  24. dip — to dunk

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