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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. present — the time now
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. rest — a break
  6. lean — to bend
  7. cap — of ice
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. press — a publisher
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. present — there
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. present — a gift
  14. press — newspapers
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lean — thin
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. press — to push
  20. rest — what's left
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bark — to shout
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. cap — a hat

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