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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: shower · deal · mark · press · jam · straw · scale · lash

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. press — newspapers
  5. shower — to wash
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. deal — to handle
  8. press — to push
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. shower — rain
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. scale — size or range
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. press — a publisher
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — for weighing

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