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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. row — a line
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. stock — shares
  6. pop — music
  7. row — to paddle
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. board — a committee
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pop — soda
  13. board — to get on
  14. pop — to visit
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pit — in a race
  19. press — a publisher
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stock — goods
  24. press — newspapers

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