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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. clip — a video
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fork — in a road
  8. press — newspapers
  9. clip — for paper
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. stand — to bear
  12. clip — to cut
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — a container
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. squash — to crush
  18. squash — the sport
  19. press — to push
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a grade
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. press — a publisher
  24. tube — the underground

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