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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. degree — from a university
  5. rush — hurry
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. board — to get on
  8. degree — temperature
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. board — a committee
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — the fish
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bass — low music
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. degree — an amount
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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