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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. press — a publisher
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — obliged
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. toast — bread
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — goods
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. press — to push
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bound — certain
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. press — newspapers

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