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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pop — soda
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pop — to visit
  6. can — to be able to
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wake — a trail
  11. press — a publisher
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. pop — music
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. can — a tin
  19. stock — goods
  20. press — to push
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. can — a tin
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. pitcher — a jug

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