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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. stock — shares
  3. fine — all right
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — to push
  6. file — a document
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. lean — thin
  11. mark — a trace
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. ball — a dance
  14. fine — high quality
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. stock — goods
  17. file — a line of people
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. file — a tool
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lean — to bend
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. mark — a grade

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