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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: row · press · suit · shower · bank · prune · stand · track

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stand — to bear
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a path
  5. prune — to trim
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. suit — to fit
  9. press — a publisher
  10. shower — rain
  11. row — to paddle
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. press — to push
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. prune — to trim
  17. row — a line
  18. shower — to wash
  19. suit — in cards
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bank — of a river
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. track — a song
  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