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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. press — newspapers
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — the season
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. fall — to drop
  14. mark — a trace
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. dip — to sink
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pass — a permit
  20. press — to push
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pass — to succeed

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