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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 124 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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. race — the arms race
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — a publisher
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. race — humankind
  7. press — to push
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. roll — a cake
  15. stock — goods
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rest — what's left
  22. race — a contest
  23. roll — a list
  24. plane — a tool

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