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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. foot — a measure
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. lie — to recline
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — to get on
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. pit — in a race
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — of the year
  17. press — a publisher
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. hand — in cards
  20. press — newspapers
  21. pit — a hole
  22. press — to push
  23. season — in sport
  24. board — a committee

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