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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. stock — goods
  3. mark — a trace
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. press — to push
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mark — a grade
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. press — a publisher
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. press — newspapers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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