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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. land — ground
  3. press — to push
  4. board — to get on
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. press — newspapers
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bear — the animal
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. stock — goods
  12. fine — high quality
  13. scale — in music
  14. land — to come down
  15. board — a committee
  16. fine — all right
  17. land — a country
  18. bear — the animal
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — farmland
  21. scale — size or range
  22. stock — shares
  23. press — a publisher
  24. field — for sport

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