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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: fine · stem · bank · rush · press · court · dip · lash

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. press — a publisher
  3. court — for sport
  4. fine — high quality
  5. dip — to sink
  6. rush — hurry
  7. press — newspapers
  8. stem — to come from
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. court — of law
  12. fine — all right
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. press — to push
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bank — of a river
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bank — for money
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. court — of a king
  24. stem — a stem cell

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