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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. band — a ring
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pit — in a race
  7. press — a publisher
  8. band — a music group
  9. press — newspapers
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. date — the fruit
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. pit — a hole
  16. prune — to trim
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. foot — a measure
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. press — to push

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