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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.

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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: race · shower · rest · suit · stem · press

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. race — the arms race
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. shower — to wash
  6. race — a contest
  7. rest — a break
  8. suit — to fit
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. shower — rain
  13. suit — in cards
  14. press — a publisher
  15. race — humankind
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. press — newspapers
  18. press — to push

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