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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. press — a publisher
  3. mug — a face
  4. fine — all right
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. mug — to rob
  8. plane — a tool
  9. rush — hurry
  10. fine — high quality
  11. row — a line
  12. mug — a cup
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. press — newspapers
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. row — to paddle
  20. mark — a trace
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. press — to push
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rush — to hurry

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