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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. stock — goods
  4. row — a line
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. net — after costs
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. net — for catching
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. press — newspapers
  12. dip — to sink
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. net — in sport
  16. press — a publisher
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. press — to push
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. stock — shares
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. row — to paddle
  23. plane — a tool
  24. lie — to recline

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