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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: object · rush · deal · saw · rest · wave · foot · press

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. object — an aim
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. foot — a measure
  6. object — a thing
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. deal — to handle
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. press — a publisher
  16. rush — hurry
  17. press — to push
  18. object — to protest
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. press — newspapers
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. rest — what's left
  24. saw — the tool

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