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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: dip · season · press · hand · wake · bank · rule · plane

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. season — of the year
  4. hand — help
  5. wake — a trail
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bank — of a river
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bank — for money
  11. hand — in cards
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. press — newspapers
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. season — in sport
  17. rule — government
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — a tool
  20. press — to push
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bank — for money
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — to rule out

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