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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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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: lash · safe · stock · prune · pass · degree · swing · ruler

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. prune — to trim
  9. stock — shares
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stock — goods
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. swing — to play on
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. degree — temperature
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — music
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pass — a permit
  24. degree — from a university

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