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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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Word bank
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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. present — the time now
  3. mug — a face
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. staff — employees
  6. wind — moving air
  7. hand — in cards
  8. stock — goods
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. present — there
  11. staff — employees
  12. press — to push
  13. press — a publisher
  14. mug — a cup
  15. kick — in football
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. stock — shares
  18. mug — to rob
  19. press — newspapers
  20. wind — moving air
  21. hand — help
  22. staff — a stick
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. present — a gift

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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