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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. tear — from crying
  4. press — newspapers
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. tear — from crying
  8. last — finally
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mark — a grade
  11. press — to push
  12. last — to go on
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. last — final
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. mark — a trace
  23. pass — a permit
  24. straw — dry grass

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