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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: press · row · cap · court · shower · rule

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. press — newspapers
  3. cap — of ice
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. press — to push
  6. press — a publisher
  7. rule — government
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — a hat
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. row — to paddle
  12. shower — to wash
  13. row — a line
  14. rule — a law
  15. court — for sport
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. court — of law
  18. court — of a king

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