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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pass — a permit
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. press — a publisher
  6. stock — shares
  7. rest — what's left
  8. kid — child
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. rest — a break
  11. press — to push
  12. perch — the fish
  13. root — of a word
  14. stock — goods
  15. wake — a trail
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a plant
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. kid — to tease
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. perch — for a bird

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