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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · cabinet · content · leaves · shower · press · plane · lean

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bound — certain
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. lean — thin
  8. press — a publisher
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. content — happy
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. plane — a tool
  17. shower — to wash
  18. press — newspapers
  19. press — to push
  20. shower — rain
  21. bound — obliged
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bound — tied together
  24. leaves — lets stay

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