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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. stock — goods
  3. current — happening now
  4. press — a publisher
  5. board — a committee
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. current — electric
  8. rush — hurry
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. ground — a position
  11. press — newspapers
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. stock — shares
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. march — music
  17. current — of water
  18. foot — a measure
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — the earth
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. press — to push
  24. march — the month

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