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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.

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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: rash · mouse · present · season · bank · bark · track · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rash — a series
  4. press — newspapers
  5. rash — hasty
  6. press — to push
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. present — there
  10. present — a gift
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bank — for money
  14. season — in sport
  15. track — to keep track
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. present — the time now
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. track — a path
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. track — a song
  24. season — of the year

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