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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 · press · fall · wind · bank · mine · key · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bank — for money
  4. press — newspapers
  5. wind — moving air
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rash — a series
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. wind — moving air
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bank — for money
  16. press — to push
  17. fall — to drop
  18. press — a publisher
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bank — of a river
  21. key — the most important part
  22. fall — the season
  23. key — in music
  24. wind — to turn a key

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