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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 · stem · leaves · straw · pound · rash · current · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bound — tied together
  4. press — newspapers
  5. current — electric
  6. bound — certain
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bound — obliged
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. current — of water
  14. press — to push
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. rash — a series
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — hasty
  22. current — happening now
  23. stem — to come from
  24. straw — a straw man

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