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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · rock · march · rush · squash · press · stick

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. press — a publisher
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. stock — goods
  5. squash — the sport
  6. squash — to crush
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rock — a stone
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. press — to push
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. march — the month
  18. press — newspapers
  19. rock — music
  20. march — the month
  21. rush — hurry
  22. march — music
  23. stock — shares
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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