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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: stock · temple · press · snap · field · row · mug · jam

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mug — a cup
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. mug — a face
  6. stock — shares
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. field — a subject
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. snap — to click
  15. field — for sport
  16. row — to paddle
  17. press — a publisher
  18. mug — to rob
  19. row — a line
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. press — to push
  22. field — farmland
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. temple — a place of worship

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