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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: press · rash · mouse · saw · pit · rest · lean · march

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. saw — the tool
  3. press — to push
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. press — newspapers
  8. rest — a break
  9. march — music
  10. rash — hasty
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lean — thin
  13. rash — a series
  14. press — a publisher
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. march — the month
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lean — to bend
  21. pit — a hole
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pit — in a race
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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