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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. drill — a practice
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. march — music
  6. press — to push
  7. drill — the tool
  8. current — happening now
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. press — a publisher
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. march — the month
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. current — of water
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. march — the month
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. current — electric
  23. press — newspapers
  24. drill — army training

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