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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. chest — a box
  4. mate — to breed
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bark — to shout
  9. chest — of your body
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. kick — in football
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. press — newspapers
  17. deal — to handle
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. press — a publisher
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. mate — a friend
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. chest — of your body
  24. press — to push

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