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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bank — of a river
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. suit — clothes
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. shower — rain
  9. suit — in cards
  10. land — a country
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bank — for money
  13. land — to come down
  14. shower — to wash
  15. land — ground
  16. press — a publisher
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. bank — for money
  21. suit — to fit
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. charge — in control

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