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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 116 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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. snap — to click
  4. bank — for money
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. ground — the earth
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — final
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. press — to push
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. last — finally
  17. ground — crushed
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bank — for money
  20. ground — a position
  21. bank — of a river
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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