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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.

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
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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 · capital · lean · hand · saw · lash · fine · wind

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. press — newspapers
  3. lean — thin
  4. wind — moving air
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. press — to push
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. saw — the tool
  9. lean — to bend
  10. hand — in cards
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. capital — a city
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fine — high quality
  20. press — a publisher
  21. capital — money
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wind — moving air
  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