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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: rash · rush · leaves · board · press · drill · wake · bass

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bass — the fish
  3. board — a committee
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — hasty
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bass — low music
  12. board — to get on
  13. drill — the tool
  14. rash — a series
  15. press — newspapers
  16. rush — hurry
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — a trail
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. drill — army training
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. leaves — to go away

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