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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. last — finally
  3. last — to go on
  4. spring — a coil
  5. squash — the sport
  6. press — newspapers
  7. last — final
  8. spring — of water
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. press — to push
  13. suit — to fit
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. can — to be able to
  16. press — a publisher
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stock — shares
  19. can — a tin
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. can — a tin
  24. squash — to crush

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