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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 116 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: wound · calf · shower · sharp · bank · press · trunk · rash

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bank — of a river
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — a series
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bank — for money
  8. wound — an injury
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. shower — rain
  15. press — a publisher
  16. shower — to wash
  17. sharp — clever
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. wound — an injury
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. press — to push
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bank — for money
  24. sharp — exactly

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