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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.

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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. tear — from crying
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. press — newspapers
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. press — a publisher
  10. staff — employees
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. staff — a stick
  19. hand — in cards
  20. press — to push
  21. staff — employees
  22. hand — help
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. vault — a safe

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