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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
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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: press · rush · toast · fan · date · swing · jam · rock

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rock — music
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — to play on
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. date — the fruit
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. press — a publisher
  19. swing — in golf
  20. rush — hurry
  21. press — newspapers
  22. toast — bread
  23. rock — a stone
  24. toast — the most admired

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