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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — shares
  7. stem — to come from
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. season — in sport
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. press — to push
  13. spell — magic
  14. fine — all right
  15. season — of the year
  16. bulb — for light
  17. spell — letters
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to tire
  22. spell — a short time
  23. bore — to drill
  24. press — a publisher

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