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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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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: press · root · sharp · lash · mug · can · pitcher · court

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  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. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. court — of a king
  4. court — of law
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. mug — a face
  7. sharp — clever
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. root — the cause
  10. can — to be able to
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. court — for sport
  14. can — a tin
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. press — newspapers
  17. root — of a word
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. can — a tin
  20. root — of a plant
  21. press — to push
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — to rob
  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