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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. scale — size or range
  3. pass — a permit
  4. press — a publisher
  5. scale — in music
  6. shower — to wash
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. saw — the tool
  9. chair — a leader
  10. stock — shares
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stock — goods
  19. press — to push
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. chair — a professorship

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