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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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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: cue · can · bank · bore · stand · chair · shower · bound

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. cue — a hint
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. bore — to drill
  6. shower — rain
  7. can — a tin
  8. bore — to tire
  9. can — a tin
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bank — for money
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bank — of a river
  17. chair — a leader
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bank — for money
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. cue — for pool
  23. shower — to wash
  24. cue — a signal

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