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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 120 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: lash · degree · pound · mark · fine · safe · face · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. face — to confront
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. face — to point toward
  5. mark — a trace
  6. face — part of the head
  7. degree — an amount
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. pound — a weight
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. ball — a great time
  13. fine — high quality
  14. ball — a dance
  15. degree — from a university
  16. mark — a grade
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. degree — temperature
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. fine — all right
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pound — for dogs

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