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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. stock — shares
  3. mug — a face
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. stock — goods
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. court — of law
  9. wax — to grow
  10. press — newspapers
  11. foot — a measure
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. mug — a cup
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. court — for sport
  18. press — to push
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. press — a publisher
  21. mug — to rob
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. court — of a king
  24. bowl — a dish

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