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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
YesNo
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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: dip · safe · season · land · bark · present · press · lash

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. season — of the year
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — there
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. land — ground
  8. season — in sport
  9. press — to push
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bark — to shout
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. land — a country
  19. present — the time now
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. dip — to sink
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. press — newspapers
  24. press — a publisher

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