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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: ruler · game · perch · lash · fan · dip · suit · degree

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. degree — temperature
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — to sink
  12. suit — in cards
  13. degree — an amount
  14. game — a match
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. perch — the fish
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. suit — to fit
  21. degree — from a university
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fan — a supporter

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