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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: degree · mate · bass · bear · safe · lash · deal · pop

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. pop — to visit
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pop — music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mate — to breed
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mate — a friend
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pop — soda
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bass — low music
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bear — the animal
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. mate — a partner
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. degree — from a university
  24. degree — an amount

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