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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: cabinet · safe · stock · leaves · temple · bound · press · pound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bound — tied together
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. press — a publisher
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — obliged
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. pound — a weight
  17. stock — goods
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. press — to push
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pound — for dogs

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