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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. press — to push
  4. shower — to wash
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. lean — thin
  7. press — newspapers
  8. craft — a skill
  9. lean — to bend
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pass — a permit
  12. shower — rain
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rest — a break
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. craft — boats
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. rest — what's left
  20. scale — size or range
  21. press — a publisher
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. rest — what's left

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