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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: temple · snap · bound · bore · kid · press · stock · toast

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. toast — bread
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bound — tied together
  9. press — newspapers
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. stock — shares
  14. kid — child
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bound — obliged
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. bound — certain
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — to push
  23. snap — to click
  24. kid — to tease

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