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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. rash — hasty
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. suit — to fit
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. pound — a weight
  11. rash — a series
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — newspapers
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. suit — clothes
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. toast — bread
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — a trail

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