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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. suit — clothes
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. last — final
  6. press — newspapers
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pass — a permit
  12. stock — shares
  13. net — in sport
  14. suit — in cards
  15. last — finally
  16. net — after costs
  17. stock — goods
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. net — for catching
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pound — a weight
  24. press — to push

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