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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 120 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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. net — after costs
  3. net — in sport
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. pop — to visit
  7. rule — government
  8. stock — shares
  9. club — for dancing
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stock — goods
  13. club — a group
  14. pop — soda
  15. rule — a law
  16. press — newspapers
  17. vault — a safe
  18. club — for golf
  19. press — to push
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. net — for catching
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. pop — music
  24. coach — a trainer

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