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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.

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: content · bank · rock · club · rush · cell · press · rash

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. rash — a series
  3. press — a publisher
  4. club — for dancing
  5. cell — in biology
  6. club — for golf
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. content — happy
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bank — for money
  11. rock — music
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. cell — a phone
  14. rash — hasty
  15. club — a group
  16. press — to push
  17. bank — of a river
  18. content — the amount
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bank — for money
  23. press — newspapers
  24. rush — hurry

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