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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: craft · perch · degree · pop · dip · net · wave · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. degree — temperature
  3. net — in sport
  4. craft — boats
  5. pop — to visit
  6. net — after costs
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. degree — from a university
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. craft — a skill
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. pop — music
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. dip — to sink
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. degree — an amount
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. perch — the fish
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pop — soda
  23. net — for catching
  24. wave — with your hand

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