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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 116 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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. key — for a lock
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — from crying
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. tear — to rip
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — shares
  11. press — to push
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. press — a publisher
  14. charge — a price
  15. key — in music
  16. stock — goods
  17. charge — electricity
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. charge — in control
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. press — newspapers
  22. key — the most important part
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. coach — a trainer

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