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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. mug — to rob
  4. date — the fruit
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. cue — for pool
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. cue — a signal
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. wound — an injury
  11. mug — a cup
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. press — to push
  14. cue — a hint
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. press — a publisher
  17. capital — a city
  18. capital — money
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. press — newspapers
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. wound — an injury
  24. mug — a face

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