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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 116 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
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: lash · degree · suit · ball · fall · patient · scale · bat

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. degree — an amount
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. degree — temperature
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. scale — in music
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bat — the animal
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fall — to drop
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. degree — from a university
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. suit — clothes
  20. fall — the season
  21. ball — a dance
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. fall — to drop

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