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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. game — a match
  3. stock — shares
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. cap — of ice
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a cup
  8. press — a publisher
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — music
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. rule — a law
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. press — to push
  17. mug — a face
  18. cap — a hat
  19. rule — government
  20. cap — a lid
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stock — goods
  23. press — newspapers
  24. game — wild animals

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