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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. wax — to grow
  3. rock — music
  4. press — a publisher
  5. pitch — completely
  6. press — to push
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. shower — to wash
  13. bulb — for light
  14. press — newspapers
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. rock — a stone
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. shower — rain
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. rock — to move gently

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