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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. press — to push
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. press — newspapers
  5. toast — bread
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. hand — help
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. hand — in cards
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. rush — hurry
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. press — a publisher
  23. craft — boats
  24. fork — to eat with

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