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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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Word bank
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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. net — for catching
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. press — to push
  7. net — after costs
  8. rest — a break
  9. rock — music
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. kick — in football
  14. net — in sport
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. press — newspapers
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. press — a publisher
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. rest — what's left

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