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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — a publisher
  3. net — after costs
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. tear — from crying
  7. net — for catching
  8. pop — soda
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. tear — to rip
  11. net — in sport
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pop — to visit
  16. tear — from crying
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. board — a committee
  19. saw — the tool
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. press — to push
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pop — music
  24. board — to get on

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