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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: lean · shower · present · cap · press · season · board · perch

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. season — in sport
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. lean — thin
  6. cap — of ice
  7. board — to get on
  8. present — the time now
  9. press — newspapers
  10. board — a committee
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. present — a gift
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. cap — a lid
  17. lean — to bend
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. cap — a hat
  20. shower — to wash
  21. season — of the year
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — to push
  24. shower — rain

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