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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stock — goods
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. game — wild animals
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. press — to push
  9. craft — a skill
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cap — of ice
  12. pit — in a race
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. stock — shares
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — a publisher
  22. game — a match
  23. stand — to bear
  24. cap — a hat

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