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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. press — newspapers
  4. suit — in cards
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. band — a music group
  7. stem — to come from
  8. shower — to wash
  9. stock — goods
  10. foot — a measure
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — shares
  13. band — a ring
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. suit — to fit
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. shower — rain
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. press — a publisher
  22. suit — clothes
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. stem — a stem cell

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