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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. club — a group
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. press — to push
  6. mug — a face
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — goods
  10. key — in music
  11. mug — to rob
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — for a lock
  14. club — for dancing
  15. fork — in a road
  16. sharp — clever
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mug — a cup
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. press — newspapers
  24. club — for golf

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