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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. firm — a company
  4. net — for catching
  5. board — to get on
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. firm — steady
  10. wind — moving air
  11. net — after costs
  12. firm — decided
  13. wind — moving air
  14. last — final
  15. press — a publisher
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. last — to go on
  18. net — in sport
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. board — a committee
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. last — finally
  24. press — to push

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