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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: spell · racket · lash · stand · mug · land · degree · trunk

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. degree — an amount
  5. stand — to bear
  6. land — to come down
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. land — a country
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. spell — magic
  13. degree — from a university
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. degree — temperature
  16. mug — a cup
  17. spell — a short time
  18. mug — to rob
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. spell — letters
  22. land — ground
  23. mug — a face
  24. trunk — of a car

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