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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: lean · cabinet · present · bay · bound · press · pitcher · rash

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bound — certain
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — there
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bound — tied together
  8. lean — to bend
  9. rash — a series
  10. press — to push
  11. bound — obliged
  12. rash — hasty
  13. press — newspapers
  14. press — a publisher
  15. lean — thin
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. present — a gift
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bay — a horse colour

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