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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: ground · firm · press · object · hide · temple · deal · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. press — to push
  3. ground — the earth
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. object — an aim
  10. firm — a company
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. object — to protest
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. ground — a position
  15. press — a publisher
  16. firm — decided
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. firm — steady
  19. press — newspapers
  20. shower — to wash
  21. object — a thing
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. ground — crushed

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