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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  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. drill — a practice
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. press — newspapers
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bound — certain
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bass — low music
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bass — the fish
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. pit — a hole
  14. stock — goods
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. pit — in a race
  17. stock — shares
  18. press — to push
  19. press — a publisher
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. drill — army training
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — obliged
  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