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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. scale — size or range
  3. press — newspapers
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. mate — a partner
  6. pit — a hole
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. mate — a friend
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. scale — in music
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. press — to push
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. press — a publisher
  24. scale — for weighing

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