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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. season — in sport
  3. press — newspapers
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stock — shares
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. charge — a price
  10. sharp — clever
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. stock — goods
  17. season — of the year
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. press — a publisher
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mouse — for a computer

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