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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. chest — a box
  6. press — to push
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. mug — a cup
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mug — a face
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. tear — from crying
  14. press — newspapers
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. tear — to rip
  18. tear — from crying
  19. press — a publisher
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. mug — to rob
  23. chest — of your body
  24. calf — a young animal

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