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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. track — a path
  4. track — a song
  5. hand — help
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. hand — in cards
  11. stock — shares
  12. ball — a dance
  13. field — a subject
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. track — to keep track
  17. press — to push
  18. field — farmland
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. stock — goods
  22. cell — a phone
  23. field — for sport
  24. ball — a great time

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