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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: suit · stick · bear · ground · fine · pitcher · degree · lash

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — from a university
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — high quality
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bear — the animal
  9. degree — an amount
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ground — crushed
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ground — a position
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. fine — a penalty

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