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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 120 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
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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: fan · perch · lean · wave · current · shower · press · bear

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — to wash
  4. current — of water
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. press — a publisher
  9. current — electric
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bear — the animal
  12. perch — the fish
  13. press — newspapers
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bear — the animal
  16. current — happening now
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. lean — thin
  22. press — to push
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. fan — a supporter

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