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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. degree — from a university
  4. degree — an amount
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. court — for sport
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. court — of a king
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. degree — temperature
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. court — of law
  24. dip — to sink

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