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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
468
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 · rush · bulb · craft · scale · root · stick · rash

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  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. rush — hurry
  2. rash — hasty
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bulb — for light
  7. scale — in music
  8. root — of a plant
  9. press — to push
  10. press — a publisher
  11. craft — a skill
  12. root — the cause
  13. scale — size or range
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — boats
  16. root — of a word
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bulb — for light
  23. press — newspapers
  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