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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: shower · bound · fine · row · press · lean · deal · current

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. row — a line
  4. lean — to bend
  5. fine — all right
  6. current — happening now
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. shower — rain
  9. press — to push
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bound — tied together
  12. lean — thin
  13. press — a publisher
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. current — of water
  18. bound — obliged
  19. current — electric
  20. bound — certain
  21. deal — to handle
  22. press — newspapers
  23. shower — to wash
  24. fine — high quality

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