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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: bank · face · wake · bulb · row · press · fall · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. press — to push
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bulb — for light
  5. press — a publisher
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — the season
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bulb — for light
  10. face — to confront
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. face — to point toward
  15. row — a line
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — to paddle
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bank — for money
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bank — for money
  24. rash — hasty

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