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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. press — a publisher
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. press — to push
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. suit — clothes
  9. club — a group
  10. squash — the sport
  11. club — for golf
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. squash — to crush
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — shares
  17. club — for dancing
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. press — newspapers
  21. branch — a division
  22. suit — to fit
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. pound — to hit hard

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