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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rush · toast · press · stand · straw · lash

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. toast — bread
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. press — a publisher
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. rush — hurry
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. press — newspapers
  18. toast — a drink to someone

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