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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. track — a song
  5. stock — shares
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. track — to keep track
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — hurry
  11. press — to push
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ground — crushed
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. toast — bread
  20. track — a path
  21. ground — the earth
  22. press — a publisher
  23. ground — a position
  24. press — newspapers

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