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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: bass · saw · date · leaves · press · lash · coach · rush

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bass — the fish
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. press — newspapers
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. saw — the tool
  11. press — a publisher
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bass — low music
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bass — the instrument

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