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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: race · bound · season · lash · mine · wave · foot · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — newspapers
  3. race — a contest
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. season — in sport
  8. race — the arms race
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. season — of the year
  11. bound — obliged
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — a measure
  16. race — humankind
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — certain
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. press — to push
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. season — to add flavour

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