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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. can — a tin
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. track — a path
  5. net — after costs
  6. press — newspapers
  7. lean — to bend
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. can — a tin
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. press — to push
  13. track — to keep track
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. track — a song
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. can — to be able to
  18. net — for catching
  19. lean — thin
  20. net — in sport
  21. stock — shares
  22. press — a publisher
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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