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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.

Words on the sheet
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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. present — there
  5. race — humankind
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. press — to push
  12. race — a contest
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. present — the time now
  19. wound — an injury
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. wound — an injury
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. race — the arms race

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