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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 124 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. craft — boats
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. cue — a signal
  5. press — a publisher
  6. mate — a friend
  7. press — to push
  8. cue — a hint
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. cue — for pool
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. current — happening now
  15. stock — goods
  16. craft — a skill
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. press — newspapers
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. stock — shares
  23. current — of water
  24. current — electric

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