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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: stock · press · bear · present · pound · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stock — shares
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. stock — goods
  7. press — a publisher
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bear — the animal
  15. present — a gift
  16. bear — the animal
  17. present — there
  18. present — the time now

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