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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
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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: press · bulb · pass · root · rush · club · wind · scale

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. rush — hurry
  4. club — for dancing
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. press — newspapers
  9. wind — moving air
  10. root — the cause
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. root — of a plant
  13. wind — moving air
  14. press — a publisher
  15. scale — size or range
  16. club — a group
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. pass — a permit
  19. club — for golf
  20. press — to push
  21. bulb — for light
  22. scale — in music
  23. bulb — for light
  24. root — of a word

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