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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. ball — a dance
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rash — a series
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. key — for a lock
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. key — the most important part
  17. charge — a price
  18. key — in music
  19. press — a publisher
  20. charge — in control
  21. press — newspapers
  22. rash — hasty
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. wave — of the sea

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