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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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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: mouse · pit · board · bound · press · lean · firm · shower

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. shower — to wash
  3. board — a committee
  4. lean — thin
  5. press — newspapers
  6. shower — rain
  7. firm — decided
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. board — to get on
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. firm — a company
  13. press — to push
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. firm — steady
  17. lean — to bend
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a hole
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bound — tied together
  24. board — a flat piece

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