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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. net — after costs
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rest — what's left
  6. press — a publisher
  7. net — for catching
  8. bank — for money
  9. wound — an injury
  10. face — part of the head
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. net — in sport
  15. face — to point toward
  16. rest — a break
  17. press — newspapers
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wound — an injury
  20. press — to push
  21. face — to confront
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bank — for money
  24. ruler — for measuring

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