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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. race — humankind
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. fine — high quality
  5. race — a contest
  6. lie — to recline
  7. race — the arms race
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. press — to push
  12. stock — goods
  13. press — newspapers
  14. kick — in football
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fine — all right
  18. rock — music
  19. stock — shares
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rock — a stone
  22. press — a publisher
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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