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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bat — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. stock — goods
  5. press — newspapers
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rock — music
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rest — a break
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. press — to push
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. kick — in football
  19. rock — a stone
  20. mate — to breed
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mate — a partner
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. stock — shares

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