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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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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: rest · chest · ruler · dip · toast · press · trunk · date

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. date — the fruit
  7. dip — to sink
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. press — newspapers
  10. chest — a box
  11. chest — of your body
  12. press — a publisher
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. toast — bread
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rest — what's left
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. chest — of your body
  20. rest — a break
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. press — to push
  23. rest — what's left
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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