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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mug — a face
  6. press — newspapers
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. squash — the sport
  9. stock — goods
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stock — shares
  13. mug — a cup
  14. squash — to crush
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. saw — the tool
  17. mine — for digging
  18. season — of the year
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. season — in sport
  21. mug — to rob
  22. rest — what's left
  23. press — to push
  24. stock — a soup base

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