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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. stock — shares
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bass — low music
  7. sharp — clever
  8. firm — a company
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. press — to push
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. press — a publisher
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. firm — decided
  23. press — newspapers
  24. firm — steady

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