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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. hand — help
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — to push
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pass — a permit
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. press — newspapers
  10. stock — goods
  11. firm — a company
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. hand — in cards
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — of ice
  17. firm — steady
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. firm — decided
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — shares
  24. hand — part of the body

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