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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wake — a trail
  3. shower — to wash
  4. pop — to visit
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. press — a publisher
  10. stock — shares
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pop — music
  13. press — newspapers
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. shower — rain
  16. stock — goods
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pop — soda
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. press — to push
  22. rash — hasty
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. stock — a soup base

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