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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. press — to push
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. root — the cause
  5. press — a publisher
  6. rule — government
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — goods
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. pound — a weight
  15. root — of a word
  16. root — of a plant
  17. spell — letters
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. press — newspapers
  20. spell — magic
  21. stock — shares
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. spell — a short time
  24. rule — a law

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