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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: press · bear · present · mark · shower · mouse · lie · charge

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. present — a gift
  4. charge — in control
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lie — to recline
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bear — the animal
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. press — a publisher
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. shower — to wash
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. present — there
  17. shower — rain
  18. bear — the animal
  19. press — to push
  20. present — the time now
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. charge — a price
  24. press — newspapers

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