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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. press — newspapers
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. stock — shares
  5. lean — thin
  6. stock — goods
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. pound — a weight
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. press — to push
  14. row — a line
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. press — a publisher
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. row — to paddle
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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