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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: shower · row · nail · season · press · lean · stick · craft

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. press — newspapers
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. shower — to wash
  10. row — a line
  11. lean — to bend
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. craft — boats
  14. press — a publisher
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. season — of the year
  19. press — to push
  20. lean — thin
  21. row — to paddle
  22. season — in sport
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. craft — a skill

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