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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. mark — a trace
  3. suit — clothes
  4. hand — help
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. suit — to fit
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. press — a publisher
  11. bank — for money
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. content — happy
  14. press — to push
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. press — newspapers
  17. mark — a grade
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bank — of a river
  20. suit — in cards
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bank — for money
  24. mark — to pay attention

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