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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 116 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: press · lean · pass · rush · fine · squash · hand · present

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. present — the time now
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. present — there
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. press — a publisher
  9. squash — the sport
  10. fine — all right
  11. press — newspapers
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. lean — to bend
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. rush — hurry
  17. press — to push
  18. pass — a permit
  19. present — a gift
  20. squash — to crush
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. hand — in cards
  23. lean — thin
  24. fine — a penalty

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