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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. press — to push
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. present — the time now
  5. cap — a hat
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. present — a gift
  10. cap — of ice
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. stock — shares
  16. cap — a lid
  17. charge — in control
  18. press — a publisher
  19. ball — a dance
  20. press — newspapers
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fine — high quality
  23. stock — goods
  24. charge — a price

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