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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: season · bank · staff · lean · cap · shower · temple · press

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. staff — employees
  3. shower — rain
  4. lean — thin
  5. bank — for money
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — of ice
  8. shower — to wash
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. staff — a stick
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. season — of the year
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bank — of a river
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — in sport
  19. staff — employees
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bank — for money
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. temple — side of the head

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