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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. drill — the tool
  3. band — a ring
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. press — to push
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — in a race
  9. press — a publisher
  10. drill — army training
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. drill — a practice
  13. press — newspapers
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — shares
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. band — a music group

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