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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: deal · bear · mug · wound · last · drill · lash · press

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. last — finally
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. press — newspapers
  6. last — to go on
  7. press — to push
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bear — the animal
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — army training
  15. last — final
  16. deal — to handle
  17. drill — the tool
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — to rob
  20. press — a publisher
  21. wound — an injury
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. wound — an injury
  24. deal — a big deal

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