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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.

Words on the sheet
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: rash · wave · straw · pitch · mug · press · wake · ruler

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rash — a series
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. press — newspapers
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. pitch — completely
  13. mug — to rob
  14. rash — hasty
  15. mug — a face
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. mug — a cup
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — to push

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