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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. charge — electricity
  3. cue — a signal
  4. tube — the underground
  5. fine — all right
  6. charge — a price
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pop — to visit
  9. press — newspapers
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. charge — in control
  13. pop — music
  14. press — to push
  15. cue — a hint
  16. press — a publisher
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. bass — low music
  20. tube — a container
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. fine — high quality

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