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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. key — the most important part
  3. press — newspapers
  4. charge — in control
  5. press — to push
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. press — a publisher
  8. face — part of the head
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. club — a group
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. club — for golf
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. net — in sport
  17. face — to confront
  18. club — for dancing
  19. face — to point toward
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — electricity
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — after costs

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