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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — a publisher
  4. dip — to sink
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — from crying
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. net — after costs
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. press — to push
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. net — for catching
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. stock — shares
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. rush — hurry
  22. net — in sport
  23. tear — to rip
  24. stock — goods

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