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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. press — to push
  3. tear — to rip
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. mug — a cup
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. mug — to rob
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. mug — a face
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. cell — in biology
  19. fork — in a road
  20. press — newspapers
  21. cell — a phone
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. press — a publisher
  24. tear — from crying

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