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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. present — a gift
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. press — newspapers
  6. row — to paddle
  7. deal — to handle
  8. season — of the year
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. season — in sport
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. stock — goods
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. press — a publisher
  23. stock — shares
  24. press — to push

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