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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.

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: chip · stand · bore · pitcher · ground · lash · press · mouse

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. press — a publisher
  4. bore — to drill
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ground — the earth
  7. press — to push
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. stand — to bear
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bore — to tire
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. ground — a position
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. press — newspapers
  20. ground — crushed
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. chip — for betting
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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