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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: lash · press · mug · snap · safe · rush · bass · pound

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. snap — to click
  4. pound — a weight
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. mug — a cup
  7. rush — hurry
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mug — a face
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. mug — to rob
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. press — newspapers
  23. press — to push
  24. bass — the fish

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