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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  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. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. press — to push
  11. wake — a trail
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — a permit
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. press — newspapers
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  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