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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · press · club · stock · bowl · perch

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. club — for golf
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. stock — goods
  9. perch — the fish
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for dancing
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. stock — shares
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pit — a hole
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. press — a publisher

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