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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pitch — completely
  4. lie — to recline
  5. press — to push
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. hand — help
  8. chip — for betting
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. press — newspapers
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bank — for money
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bank — of a river
  16. key — for a lock
  17. press — a publisher
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. key — the most important part
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bank — for money
  24. key — in music

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