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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: mug · rush · lean · content · press · suit · track · jam

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. press — to push
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. press — a publisher
  8. mug — a face
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. mug — to rob
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. lean — to bend
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. suit — to fit
  18. track — a song
  19. press — newspapers
  20. rush — hurry
  21. suit — clothes
  22. lean — thin
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — happy

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