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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bank — for money
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bank — of a river
  12. press — a publisher
  13. mine — for digging
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. press — to push
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. suit — in cards
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bank — for money
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. shower — rain
  24. suit — clothes

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