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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.

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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: spell · lash · suit · face · toast · racket · mark · degree

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. mark — a trace
  4. spell — a short time
  5. toast — bread
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. spell — magic
  8. face — part of the head
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. degree — an amount
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. suit — to fit
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. spell — letters
  17. suit — in cards
  18. degree — temperature
  19. face — to confront
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. mark — a grade
  22. suit — clothes
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. degree — from a university

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