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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. firm — steady
  4. dip — to sink
  5. club — for dancing
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. season — of the year
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. press — a publisher
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pit — a hole
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — decided
  14. club — for golf
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — shares
  17. press — to push
  18. mark — a trace
  19. press — newspapers
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. club — a group
  24. pit — in a race

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