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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: toast · current · stand · lie · fan · lash · ruler · degree

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. degree — an amount
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — electric
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. degree — temperature
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stand — to bear
  10. degree — from a university
  11. lie — to recline
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. current — of water
  23. toast — bread
  24. stand — for spectators

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