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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mug — a cup
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. stock — shares
  6. drill — army training
  7. kid — to tease
  8. stock — goods
  9. press — a publisher
  10. drill — the tool
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. mug — a face
  15. lean — thin
  16. mug — to rob
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lean — to bend
  20. press — to push
  21. drill — a practice
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. press — newspapers
  24. kid — child

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