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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. cue — for pool
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — goods
  5. sharp — clever
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. drill — army training
  8. rash — hasty
  9. press — newspapers
  10. deal — to handle
  11. rash — a series
  12. press — to push
  13. cue — a signal
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. cue — a hint
  17. drill — the tool
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. drill — a practice
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. press — a publisher
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — the time now

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