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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  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. row — a quarrel
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. prune — to trim
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. snap — to click
  13. season — of the year
  14. stock — shares
  15. press — newspapers
  16. row — to paddle
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. row — a line
  20. prune — to trim
  21. press — to push
  22. stock — goods
  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