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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. last — final
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lean — to bend
  8. press — newspapers
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rash — a series
  11. last — finally
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. press — to push
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. content — the amount
  21. press — a publisher
  22. lean — thin
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. content — happy

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