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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. kid — child
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stand — to bear
  9. kid — to tease
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. club — for golf
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — newspapers
  15. stock — goods
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. club — for dancing
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. press — to push
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. club — a group
  23. stock — shares
  24. stand — for spectators

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