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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. fine — high quality
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. row — a line
  5. row — to paddle
  6. stock — goods
  7. press — newspapers
  8. ball — a dance
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. dip — to sink
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. fine — all right
  18. press — to push
  19. press — a publisher
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ball — a great time
  22. stock — shares
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. nail — for a hammer

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