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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rock — a stone
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bank — for money
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. press — to push
  9. press — a publisher
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. press — newspapers
  14. stock — shares
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bank — of a river
  18. stock — goods
  19. rock — music
  20. kid — to tease
  21. bank — for money
  22. squash — to crush
  23. hand — help
  24. kid — child

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