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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 120 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: rest · mate · present · shower · mouse · press · bulb · face

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. shower — rain
  3. present — a gift
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. present — there
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. rest — a break
  8. face — part of the head
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mate — to breed
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bulb — for light
  14. face — to confront
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rest — what's left
  19. face — to point toward
  20. press — to push
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. shower — to wash
  23. present — the time now
  24. bulb — for light

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