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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 116 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. cue — a signal
  4. pop — music
  5. net — in sport
  6. mate — a partner
  7. press — a publisher
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. press — newspapers
  10. sharp — clever
  11. pop — soda
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. mate — to breed
  15. cue — for pool
  16. mate — a friend
  17. net — for catching
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. press — to push
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. net — after costs
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pop — to visit
  24. cue — a hint

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