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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: last · leaves · rush · tear · bear · press · perch · bowl

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. rush — hurry
  3. tear — to rip
  4. bear — the animal
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. last — finally
  8. tear — from crying
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. tear — from crying
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — newspapers
  17. last — final
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. last — to go on
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bear — the animal

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