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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
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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: fan · last · lash · suit · prune · toast · degree · row

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. toast — bread
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. last — final
  5. degree — temperature
  6. row — to paddle
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. prune — to trim
  9. suit — to fit
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. suit — clothes
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. suit — in cards
  14. prune — to trim
  15. degree — an amount
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. last — to go on
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. row — a line
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. degree — from a university

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