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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. press — newspapers
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. press — a publisher
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. hand — help
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. hand — in cards
  14. season — of the year
  15. clip — to cut
  16. wake — a trail
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. clip — a video
  19. season — in sport
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. press — to push
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. lash — to lash out

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