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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 120 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
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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: pass · plane · craft · bank · shower · rash · press · clip

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. clip — for paper
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bank — of a river
  5. craft — boats
  6. shower — rain
  7. craft — a skill
  8. press — a publisher
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. press — to push
  15. press — newspapers
  16. clip — a video
  17. pass — a permit
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bank — for money
  20. clip — to cut
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bank — for money
  23. plane — a tool
  24. rash — a series

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