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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. stock — goods
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. game — wild animals
  5. can — a tin
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pass — a permit
  8. press — newspapers
  9. mate — to breed
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. stock — shares
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. mate — a partner
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. season — of the year
  16. press — to push
  17. game — a match
  18. can — a tin
  19. mate — a friend
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. suit — to fit
  22. can — to be able to
  23. press — a publisher
  24. season — in sport

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