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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. can — a tin
  3. press — newspapers
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. can — a tin
  6. court — of law
  7. firm — a company
  8. stock — shares
  9. can — to be able to
  10. press — to push
  11. firm — decided
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. land — ground
  14. sharp — clever
  15. press — a publisher
  16. court — for sport
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. court — of a king
  20. firm — steady
  21. toast — bread
  22. stock — goods
  23. land — a country
  24. stock — a soup base

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