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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. press — to push
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. band — a ring
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. band — a music group
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — after costs
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — shares
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. stand — to bear
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. press — newspapers
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stock — goods
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. net — in sport

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