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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.

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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pass — a permit
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stock — goods
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — newspapers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. press — to push
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. stock — shares
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. pass — to spend time

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