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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: bulb · press · bark · last · present · stem · rash · chest

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. present — there
  3. rash — hasty
  4. stem — to come from
  5. press — newspapers
  6. rash — a series
  7. bulb — for light
  8. chest — of your body
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. present — a gift
  11. press — to push
  12. chest — of your body
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. last — finally
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. last — final
  20. press — a publisher
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. last — to go on
  24. present — the time now

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