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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 120 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: bowl · cabinet · rash · shower · content · press · firm · wound

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. press — a publisher
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. shower — rain
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. firm — steady
  12. press — newspapers
  13. firm — a company
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. shower — to wash
  16. rash — a series
  17. press — to push
  18. firm — decided
  19. content — happy
  20. wound — an injury
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. rash — hasty
  23. content — the amount
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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