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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. stock — shares
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stock — goods
  5. charge — a price
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. press — newspapers
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. press — a publisher
  10. tube — a container
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. charge — in control
  13. pass — a permit
  14. press — to push
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — a trace
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. tube — the underground
  21. charge — electricity
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. branch — a division
  24. arm — a part of something

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