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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. press — a publisher
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. press — to push
  5. firm — a company
  6. bank — for money
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bank — for money
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — completely
  17. firm — steady
  18. pit — a hole
  19. firm — decided
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stock — goods
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bank — of a river
  24. press — newspapers

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