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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 120 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. clip — to cut
  3. clip — a video
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. press — newspapers
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. march — the month
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. march — the month
  11. suit — clothes
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. can — a tin
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. press — a publisher
  20. clip — for paper
  21. march — music
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — clever
  24. lash — to lash out

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