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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stock — goods
  4. bore — to drill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. press — to push
  8. band — a ring
  9. rush — hurry
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — newspapers
  16. chest — of your body
  17. band — a music group
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. chest — of your body
  20. stock — shares
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. chest — a box

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