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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. press — newspapers
  3. spell — magic
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. fine — all right
  6. object — an aim
  7. fine — high quality
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. object — to protest
  11. game — wild animals
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. vault — a safe
  14. spell — a short time
  15. press — to push
  16. object — a thing
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. game — a match
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. spell — letters
  23. stock — goods
  24. leaves — of a tree

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