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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.

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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · lash · fine · date · sharp · rest · mine · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. sharp — clever
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. press — newspapers
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. mine — for digging
  10. press — to push
  11. date — the fruit
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. rest — what's left
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fine — high quality
  21. rest — a break
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — all right
  24. hide — animal skin

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