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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 120 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. rock — music
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. press — newspapers
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — the earth
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. ground — crushed
  14. band — a ring
  15. present — there
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. press — a publisher
  20. sharp — clever
  21. present — a gift
  22. rock — a stone
  23. band — a music group
  24. present — the time now

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