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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 116 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. press — a publisher
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. press — to push
  6. rest — what's left
  7. press — newspapers
  8. content — the amount
  9. stock — goods
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. rest — a break
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rest — what's left
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. content — happy
  17. deal — to handle
  18. stock — shares
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. sharp — clever
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. stock — a soup base

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