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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. march — the month
  3. press — a publisher
  4. march — the month
  5. rash — a series
  6. can — a tin
  7. bat — the animal
  8. stock — goods
  9. can — a tin
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — to handle
  13. press — newspapers
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. march — music
  19. tube — a container
  20. press — to push
  21. stock — shares
  22. can — to be able to
  23. tube — the underground
  24. rash — hasty

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