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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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. press — a publisher
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mate — to breed
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. drill — a practice
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. ground — the earth
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. press — to push
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. ground — a position
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. ground — crushed
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — a partner
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. press — newspapers
  23. drill — army training
  24. hide — to keep secret

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