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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 120 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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. march — the month
  3. press — newspapers
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. court — for sport
  9. march — music
  10. face — part of the head
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. face — to confront
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. march — the month
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. court — of law
  20. face — to point toward
  21. stock — shares
  22. court — of a king
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — to push

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