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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. press — newspapers
  3. cell — in biology
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. bark — to shout
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — to push
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lie — to recline
  18. can — to be able to
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cell — a phone
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. cell — in a prison

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