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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 120 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
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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: bore · rash · mouse · press · rush · charge · lie · bat

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bat — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rash — a series
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. lie — to recline
  16. rash — hasty
  17. charge — in control
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — electricity
  21. press — to push
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bore — to drill
  24. rush — a thrill

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