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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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. stock — a soup base
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. scale — in music
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. scale — size or range
  8. spell — letters
  9. press — newspapers
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — a friend
  12. press — a publisher
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stock — shares
  15. press — to push
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. spell — a short time
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. spell — magic
  22. mate — to breed
  23. coach — a trainer
  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