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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: rash · foot · ball · shower · bark · bear · rush · press

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — a publisher
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — rain
  6. foot — a measure
  7. ball — a great time
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rash — a series
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. press — to push
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. rash — hasty
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rush — hurry

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