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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: rush · arm · wave · bat · track · press · last · lash

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. press — newspapers
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. last — to go on
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — to push
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bat — the animal
  16. rush — hurry
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a path
  19. last — final
  20. last — finally
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. arm — part of the body

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