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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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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: tear · suit · mark · prune · press · bowl · lash · lie

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  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. bowl — a football final
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. suit — to fit
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. tear — to rip
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — from crying
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mark — a grade
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. press — newspapers
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lie — to recline
  23. press — to push
  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