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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: firm · pitcher · fine · lash · rest · degree · dip · present

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. present — the time now
  5. fine — high quality
  6. degree — temperature
  7. firm — decided
  8. fine — all right
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. firm — a company
  12. degree — an amount
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. present — there
  15. rest — a break
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. firm — steady
  23. degree — from a university
  24. present — a gift

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