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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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468
Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rule — a law
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. press — a publisher
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. perch — the fish
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. can — a tin
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. press — newspapers
  22. rule — government
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. wax — to grow

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