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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 had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. season — in sport
  4. press — a publisher
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rush — hurry
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. pit — a hole
  10. stock — goods
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. press — newspapers
  14. season — of the year
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stock — shares
  19. pit — in a race
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bat — the animal
  22. press — to push
  23. cold — not warm
  24. rush — to hurry

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