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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. press — newspapers
  3. clip — a video
  4. file — a line of people
  5. mug — a cup
  6. press — a publisher
  7. vault — a safe
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bass — low music
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. file — a document
  13. mug — a face
  14. bass — the fish
  15. clip — to cut
  16. press — to push
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. clip — for paper
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. file — a tool

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