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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. press — newspapers
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. court — of a king
  5. mug — a face
  6. stock — shares
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. drill — army training
  9. stock — goods
  10. court — of law
  11. press — to push
  12. court — for sport
  13. object — to protest
  14. mug — to rob
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bass — low music
  18. drill — the tool
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. object — a thing
  21. drill — a practice
  22. mug — a cup
  23. object — an aim
  24. bass — the fish

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