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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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468
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: fan · straw · rash · press · wake · rush · suit · racket

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. suit — clothes
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rash — a series
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. press — to push
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wake — a trail
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rash — hasty
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. suit — to fit
  21. press — newspapers
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. press — a publisher

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