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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 120 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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. press — newspapers
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mark — a trace
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. press — a publisher
  14. fine — high quality
  15. field — for sport
  16. field — farmland
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. press — to push
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. fine — all right
  23. field — a subject
  24. mark — a grade

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