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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: degree · lash · cue · wake · chip · calf · fan · press

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. degree — from a university
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — to eat
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. degree — temperature
  10. press — to push
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — a trail
  14. cue — a signal
  15. press — newspapers
  16. cue — for pool
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. chip — for betting
  23. degree — an amount
  24. press — a publisher

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