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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 120 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: bank · rash · firm · present · bear · press · mine · chip

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. present — the time now
  3. press — to push
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. firm — steady
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. rash — hasty
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. mine — for digging
  17. press — newspapers
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. chip — to eat
  20. rash — a series
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. firm — decided
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. press — a publisher

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