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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — to fit
  4. game — a match
  5. firm — a company
  6. bank — for money
  7. firm — steady
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. press — a publisher
  10. capital — money
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bank — of a river
  15. capital — a city
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. press — to push
  19. bank — for money
  20. press — newspapers
  21. suit — clothes
  22. firm — decided
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. game — wild animals

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