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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. cap — a hat
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. press — newspapers
  5. drill — the tool
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. track — a path
  8. cap — a lid
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fall — the season
  11. drill — a practice
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. press — to push
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. cap — of ice
  16. fall — to drop
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. fall — to drop
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. track — a song
  21. track — to keep track
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. drill — army training
  24. press — a publisher

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