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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 120 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. press — newspapers
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. press — a publisher
  5. rule — a law
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — shares
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rush — hurry
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rule — government
  14. ground — crushed
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. ground — the earth
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stock — goods
  20. press — to push
  21. ground — a position
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. sharp — clever

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