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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: clip · press · capital · lash · bank · pass · lie · tube

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lie — to recline
  5. clip — to cut
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. capital — money
  8. clip — a video
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — to push
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. capital — a city
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bank — for money
  19. tube — a container
  20. clip — for paper
  21. bank — for money
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bank — of a river

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