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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — a friend
  5. stock — goods
  6. mate — to breed
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. suit — to fit
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. suit — in cards
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. charge — electricity
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. press — to push
  16. suit — clothes
  17. press — a publisher
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. charge — in control
  20. press — newspapers
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. charge — a price
  24. leaves — lets stay

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