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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 124 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 ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. degree — an amount
  7. degree — temperature
  8. degree — from a university
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. lie — to recline
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. band — a music group
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. band — a ring
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. lie — an untruth

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