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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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. ground — the earth
  4. stock — shares
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. press — a publisher
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. press — to push
  15. pound — a weight
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — a position
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. stock — goods
  23. press — newspapers
  24. stock — a soup base

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