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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: press · ruler · suit · rush · stem · shower · cabinet · lean

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. suit — in cards
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rush — hurry
  7. press — to push
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. shower — rain
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. press — newspapers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stem — to come from
  16. shower — to wash
  17. press — a publisher
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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