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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. deal — to handle
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. ground — the earth
  5. stem — to come from
  6. race — humankind
  7. race — a contest
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. race — the arms race
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. press — a publisher
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. press — to push
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wound — an injury
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — crushed
  24. stem — a stem cell

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