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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stock — goods
  4. press — newspapers
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. press — a publisher
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. perch — the fish
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pit — in a race
  18. wake — a trail
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pit — a hole
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. stock — shares
  23. press — to push
  24. wake — before a funeral

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