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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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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. press — a publisher
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. march — music
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. march — the month
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. cue — for pool
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bark — to shout
  15. press — newspapers
  16. band — a ring
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. march — the month
  23. cue — a hint
  24. lash — to lash out

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