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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: deal · stand · press · wave · shower · fork

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stand — to bear
  7. press — newspapers
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. press — to push
  12. shower — rain
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. press — a publisher
  16. deal — to handle
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. wave — of the sea

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