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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — goods
  9. press — to push
  10. press — a publisher
  11. mark — a trace
  12. fine — high quality
  13. chair — a leader
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. cue — a signal
  16. press — newspapers
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. wake — a trail
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fine — all right
  24. mark — a grade

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