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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. stock — shares
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stand — to bear
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. sharp — clever
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — to push
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. rush — hurry
  18. stock — goods

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