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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: press · dip · date · rush · bear · arm · wax · pass

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pass — a permit
  3. press — newspapers
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bear — the animal
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bear — the animal
  9. press — a publisher
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to sink
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. press — to push
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — to grow
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. date — the fruit
  24. dip — to dunk

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