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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: can · rush · bass · present · pit · nail · degree · lash

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. degree — an amount
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. present — a gift
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. can — to be able to
  9. degree — from a university
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bass — low music
  12. present — there
  13. pit — in a race
  14. present — the time now
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bass — the fish
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. pit — a hole
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. degree — temperature
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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