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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 120 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 · content · mug · press · pitcher · bound · chip · shower

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. press — a publisher
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bound — certain
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. mug — a cup
  7. press — to push
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. mug — a face
  10. content — the amount
  11. bound — obliged
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. shower — to wash
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. season — of the year
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. shower — rain
  18. mug — to rob
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. press — newspapers
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bound — tied together
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. content — happy

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