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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: spell · bay · suit · track · press · stock · rule · nail

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. track — to keep track
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. track — a song
  7. rule — a law
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. track — a path
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. press — to push
  12. suit — in cards
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stock — goods
  16. spell — letters
  17. press — newspapers
  18. stock — shares
  19. spell — a short time
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. suit — to fit
  22. spell — magic
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — to rule out

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