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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 · bulb · nail · ruler · bear · press · toast · lash

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. press — to push
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bulb — for light
  19. toast — bread
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bear — the animal
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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