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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: tear · toast · rest · mug · press · bass

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bass — low music
  3. rest — a break
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. mug — a cup
  6. press — to push
  7. tear — to rip
  8. press — newspapers
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. rest — what's left
  14. press — a publisher
  15. tear — from crying
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. mug — a face
  18. toast — bread

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