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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bank — for money
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — after costs
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. clip — to cut
  12. press — a publisher
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bank — for money
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. press — to push
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. mark — a trace
  20. clip — a video
  21. net — for catching
  22. press — newspapers
  23. mark — a grade
  24. clip — for paper

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