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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: rush · squash · bore · press · bark · wave · lie · present

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. press — a publisher
  6. squash — the sport
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rush — hurry
  12. present — a gift
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bore — to drill
  15. present — the time now
  16. press — to push
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. lie — an untruth

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