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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. press — a publisher
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. press — to push
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lean — to bend
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. press — newspapers
  11. dip — to sink
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bore — to drill
  14. lean — thin
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. rush — hurry
  20. saw — the tool
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. saw — the 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