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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. press — to push
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. content — the amount
  5. content — happy
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. march — the month
  10. key — in music
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. press — a publisher
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. press — newspapers
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. key — the most important part
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. march — the month
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. march — music
  24. key — for a lock

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