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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: shower · stand · press · craft · pit · bank · rush · bulb

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bulb — for light
  3. craft — boats
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. shower — to wash
  6. press — to push
  7. pit — in a race
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. shower — rain
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. press — newspapers
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pit — a hole
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bank — for money

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