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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: bound · shower · leaves · ball · content · cue · press · stem

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. ball — a dance
  3. press — newspapers
  4. content — the amount
  5. bound — tied together
  6. shower — to wash
  7. cue — a signal
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — certain
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. press — a publisher
  19. content — happy
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. press — to push

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