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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. press — newspapers
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bore — to tire
  10. cue — for pool
  11. board — a committee
  12. cue — a hint
  13. press — a publisher
  14. band — a music group
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bore — to drill
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. press — to push
  19. rest — a break
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. stock — shares
  23. rest — what's left
  24. board — to get on

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