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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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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: racket · degree · temple · press · ruler · lash · fall · toast

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. degree — temperature
  3. toast — bread
  4. degree — from a university
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fall — to drop
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. press — newspapers
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. degree — an amount
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fall — to drop
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. press — to push
  21. fall — the season
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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