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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitcher · ball · shower · bay · lash · prune · degree · charge

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. prune — to trim
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. degree — from a university
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. ball — a great time
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. degree — temperature
  14. shower — rain
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — a price
  20. prune — to trim
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. charge — electricity
  24. degree — an amount

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