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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. rock — music
  3. bore — to drill
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rock — a stone
  6. press — to push
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. kick — in football
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. firm — steady
  12. stock — goods
  13. press — newspapers
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. root — of a word
  16. bore — to tire
  17. stock — shares
  18. press — a publisher
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. firm — decided
  21. root — the cause
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. firm — a company

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