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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. track — a path
  3. press — to push
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. ground — a position
  6. chip — to eat
  7. ground — the earth
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bass — the fish
  10. press — newspapers
  11. chip — for betting
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bass — low music
  16. squash — the sport
  17. track — a song
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. squash — to crush
  23. ground — crushed
  24. press — a publisher

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