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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. stand — to bear
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. season — of the year
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. mug — a cup
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — thin
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. mug — to rob
  15. degree — an amount
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. degree — temperature
  18. mug — a face
  19. vault — a safe
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. degree — from a university
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. season — in sport
  24. wave — of the sea

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