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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.

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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: object · land · press · current · drill · bear · rash · rush

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — to push
  4. drill — the tool
  5. rash — a series
  6. land — ground
  7. bear — the animal
  8. current — happening now
  9. rush — hurry
  10. object — a thing
  11. press — newspapers
  12. land — a country
  13. drill — army training
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bear — the animal
  16. current — of water
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rash — hasty
  20. land — to come down
  21. object — an aim
  22. current — electric
  23. object — to protest
  24. rush — to hurry

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