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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. press — to push
  4. stock — shares
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. rest — a break
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. face — part of the head
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rest — what's left
  17. press — a publisher
  18. stock — goods
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pit — in a race
  23. press — newspapers
  24. face — to confront

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