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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: rest · leaves · bass · rush · firm · press · craft · rash

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. press — a publisher
  4. firm — steady
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rest — what's left
  8. craft — boats
  9. rest — what's left
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. rest — a break
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. firm — decided
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rash — hasty
  18. craft — a skill
  19. firm — a company
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bass — low music
  22. rash — a series
  23. rush — hurry
  24. press — to push

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