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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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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: spring · object · pit · track · pop · lash · press · nail

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. object — to protest
  4. track — a song
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — newspapers
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. track — a path
  10. object — a thing
  11. pop — music
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pit — a hole
  14. press — to push
  15. pop — to visit
  16. spring — the season
  17. object — an aim
  18. pop — soda
  19. spring — of water
  20. pit — in a race
  21. track — to keep track
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — an eyelash

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