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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. stock — shares
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. press — to push
  9. fine — all right
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. toast — bread
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. stock — goods
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. cap — a hat
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fine — high quality
  19. press — newspapers
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stand — to bear
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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