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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 116 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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. press — newspapers
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. chip — for betting
  6. game — wild animals
  7. face — part of the head
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. press — a publisher
  10. tube — the underground
  11. face — to confront
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. perch — the fish
  14. face — to point toward
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. game — a match
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. fine — high quality
  21. press — to push
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. fine — all right

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