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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. ball — a great time
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rest — what's left
  6. drill — a practice
  7. dip — to sink
  8. press — newspapers
  9. ball — a dance
  10. rest — a break
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. drill — army training
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. stock — goods
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. press — a publisher
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. press — to push
  21. drill — the tool
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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