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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. scale — size or range
  3. press — a publisher
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. deal — to handle
  6. press — newspapers
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. ground — the earth
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. clip — a video
  12. clip — for paper
  13. board — to get on
  14. ground — crushed
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. clip — to cut
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. scale — in music
  21. press — to push
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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