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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bear — the animal
  3. suit — to fit
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. press — to push
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bear — the animal
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. mark — a grade
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. shower — rain
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. stock — goods
  20. rest — a break
  21. stock — shares
  22. shower — to wash
  23. rest — what's left
  24. press — a publisher

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