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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. ball — a dance
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. press — newspapers
  5. last — to go on
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. last — final
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — an aim
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. ball — a great time
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. press — to push
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. press — a publisher
  23. object — to protest
  24. last — finally

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