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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bore — to drill
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. degree — temperature
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. toast — bread
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. degree — an amount
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stock — shares
  20. degree — from a university
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. stock — goods
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bore — to tire

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