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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. stock — shares
  8. wound — an injury
  9. file — a document
  10. press — to push
  11. stock — goods
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. press — a publisher
  19. file — a line of people
  20. file — a tool
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. press — newspapers
  24. temple — side of the head

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