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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. rash — a series
  3. mug — to rob
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. press — a publisher
  8. staff — a stick
  9. mug — a cup
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. rash — hasty
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. staff — employees
  17. press — newspapers
  18. stock — shares
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. press — to push
  23. staff — employees
  24. stock — goods

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