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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
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: wake · degree · fine · ground · bat · mouse · lash · bulb

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. ground — a position
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. degree — from a university
  12. degree — an amount
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. degree — temperature
  17. ground — crushed
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. ground — the earth
  20. fine — all right
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bat — the animal
  23. fine — high quality
  24. wake — before a funeral

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