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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. degree — temperature
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. prune — to trim
  7. degree — an amount
  8. vault — a safe
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — a law
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mark — a grade
  13. can — a tin
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — thin
  18. degree — from a university
  19. mark — a trace
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. rule — government
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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