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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 120 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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. wound — an injury
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. wound — an injury
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mark — a trace
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. press — newspapers
  12. mark — a grade
  13. press — to push
  14. rock — a stone
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. press — a publisher
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — music
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. arm — part of the body

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