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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. cue — for pool
  4. mark — a grade
  5. can — a tin
  6. bulb — for light
  7. hand — help
  8. press — to push
  9. mark — a trace
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. press — newspapers
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. cue — a signal
  15. press — a publisher
  16. hand — in cards
  17. can — a tin
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cue — a hint
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — goods

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