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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: file · patient · leaves · press · root · rash · date · bank

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — to push
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bank — of a river
  7. rash — a series
  8. bank — for money
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. file — a line of people
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rash — hasty
  14. file — a tool
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. file — a document
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bank — for money
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — of a plant
  21. press — newspapers
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. root — the cause
  24. patient — a sick person

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