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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: march · press · leaves · mug · bound · tube · bay · cue

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — a face
  6. press — a publisher
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cue — for pool
  10. press — newspapers
  11. cue — a hint
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. march — the month
  15. press — to push
  16. bound — tied together
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. march — the month
  20. tube — a container
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bound — certain
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bound — obliged

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