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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.

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: track · lean · stand · ruler · nail · shower · press · bear

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — thin
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. press — a publisher
  7. lean — to bend
  8. track — a path
  9. press — to push
  10. track — to keep track
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bear — the animal
  14. press — newspapers
  15. shower — rain
  16. track — a song
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stand — to bear
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. shower — to wash

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