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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — hurry
  4. press — a publisher
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. stock — goods
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. press — to push
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. stock — shares
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. present — there
  14. present — the time now
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. pound — a weight
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. present — a gift

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