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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bulb — for light
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. firm — a company
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bulb — for light
  10. board — a committee
  11. clip — for paper
  12. clip — to cut
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — steady
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. clip — a video
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. press — newspapers

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