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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: press · cabinet · toast · bank · pound · stock · leaves · prune

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. toast — bread
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bank — for money
  8. stock — goods
  9. bank — for money
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. pound — a weight
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — to push
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. cabinet — ministers

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