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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.

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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: dip · content · rash · row · press · season · bank · stand

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. stand — to bear
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. season — of the year
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. row — a line
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — happy
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. press — a publisher
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. press — newspapers
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. season — in sport
  20. bank — for money
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — hasty
  23. press — to push
  24. row — to paddle

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