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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. cell — in biology
  3. rock — a stone
  4. stock — goods
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. press — to push
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. rock — music
  11. drill — army training
  12. press — newspapers
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. drill — a practice
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. drill — the tool
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. snap — to click
  22. stock — shares
  23. cell — a phone
  24. press — a publisher

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