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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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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: land · shower · rock · lie · press · firm · rush · cue

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. land — a country
  4. rock — music
  5. rush — hurry
  6. press — to push
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cue — for pool
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — steady
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. firm — a company
  14. press — newspapers
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cue — a hint
  17. land — to come down
  18. shower — rain
  19. rock — a stone
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. press — a publisher
  22. land — ground
  23. shower — to wash
  24. cue — a signal

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