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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.

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: present · press · bank · racket · bulb · fan · wind · sharp

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  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. bank — of a river
  2. sharp — clever
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. present — the time now
  5. press — a publisher
  6. wind — moving air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bulb — for light
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bank — for money
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. present — a gift
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bulb — for light
  17. present — there
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. press — to push
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. press — newspapers
  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