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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bank — for money
  7. content — happy
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. press — a publisher
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. press — to push
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bank — of a river
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. deal — to handle
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bank — for money
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. hand — help

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