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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: leaves · toast · lash · press · hand · track · lie · rush

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. press — newspapers
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. press — to push
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. hand — in cards
  8. hand — help
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. track — to keep track
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. lie — to recline
  15. press — a publisher
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. toast — bread
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. track — a song
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. track — a path
  24. rush — hurry

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