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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. hand — in cards
  4. swing — in golf
  5. press — newspapers
  6. rock — a stone
  7. season — of the year
  8. press — to push
  9. hand — help
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. swing — to play on
  13. swing — music
  14. tube — a container
  15. season — in sport
  16. press — a publisher
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. rock — music
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — to handle
  21. tube — the underground
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. hand — part of the body

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