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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rush — hurry
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — goods
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — a position
  8. cold — not warm
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. staff — employees
  11. stand — to bear
  12. staff — employees
  13. rest — a break
  14. cold — an illness
  15. rest — what's left
  16. press — to push
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. ground — the earth
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. staff — a stick
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — newspapers
  24. cold — the Cold War

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