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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 120 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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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. press — to push
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bank — for money
  6. rash — a series
  7. pass — a permit
  8. press — newspapers
  9. ball — a dance
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. capital — money
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bank — of a river
  17. wake — a trail
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bank — for money
  20. staff — employees
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. capital — a city
  23. staff — employees
  24. ball — a great time

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