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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. firm — a company
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. capital — money
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. firm — steady
  9. press — a publisher
  10. clip — to cut
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. press — to push
  14. press — newspapers
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. clip — a video
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. clip — for paper
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. vault — a safe
  22. firm — decided
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. capital — a city

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