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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. mark — a trace
  4. clip — a video
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. press — newspapers
  7. suit — to fit
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. land — ground
  12. clip — for paper
  13. mark — a grade
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. wind — moving air
  16. suit — clothes
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wind — moving air
  20. press — a publisher
  21. clip — to cut
  22. land — to come down
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. press — to push

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