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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: season · bat · nail · suit · object · lash · degree · rock

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bat — the animal
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — to protest
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. suit — in cards
  11. season — of the year
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. suit — clothes
  14. degree — from a university
  15. degree — temperature
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. object — an aim
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. degree — an amount
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — music
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. nail — for a hammer

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