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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: press · rest · nail · mug · season · spell · rock · mate

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mate — to breed
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mate — a partner
  5. press — a publisher
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — magic
  8. rock — music
  9. season — in sport
  10. press — newspapers
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a cup
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. spell — letters
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mug — a face
  18. press — to push
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. mate — a friend
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rest — a break
  23. season — of the year
  24. rest — what's left

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