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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 116 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
468
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 · press · race · club · court · mug · bear · march

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. court — of law
  3. stock — shares
  4. march — the month
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. march — the month
  7. club — for golf
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mug — to rob
  10. race — a contest
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. club — for dancing
  14. mug — a face
  15. march — music
  16. press — to push
  17. race — humankind
  18. club — a group
  19. court — of a king
  20. press — a publisher
  21. race — the arms race
  22. mug — a cup
  23. court — for sport
  24. bear — the animal

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