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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.

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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. drill — the tool
  3. scale — in music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fall — the season
  6. drill — a practice
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. press — newspapers
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. drill — army training
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. scale — size or range
  13. press — a publisher
  14. pitch — completely
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. press — to push
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. fall — to drop
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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