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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. press — newspapers
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. press — to push
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rest — what's left
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. press — a publisher
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. spring — the season
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. kick — in football
  20. spring — of water
  21. rest — a break
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rest — what's left

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