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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 120 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. land — a country
  4. craft — boats
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. press — to push
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lean — thin
  12. press — newspapers
  13. pitch — completely
  14. land — ground
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. craft — a skill
  18. press — a publisher
  19. ball — a dance
  20. land — to come down
  21. mark — a trace
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a great time

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