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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. press — newspapers
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. press — to push
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — to come from
  12. bass — the fish
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — low music
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — in a road
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. rest — what's left

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