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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. stock — goods
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — newspapers
  6. stock — shares
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. ball — a dance
  9. lie — to recline
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. press — to push
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. fork — in a road
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. hand — in cards
  17. ball — a great time
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. arm — part of the body

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