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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
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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: cabinet · shower · band · craft · toast · press

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. press — newspapers
  3. toast — bread
  4. press — a publisher
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. press — to push
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. band — a music group
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. shower — to wash
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. band — a ring
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. craft — a skill
  18. 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