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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. 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. stock — a soup base
  2. scale — size or range
  3. rest — what's left
  4. press — newspapers
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. rest — a break
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. pop — soda
  10. foot — a measure
  11. press — to push
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rest — what's left
  14. kick — in football
  15. stock — shares
  16. scale — in music
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pop — to visit
  20. press — a publisher
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. pop — music
  23. tube — a container
  24. 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