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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: pop · file · press · season · stock · rest · bear · suit

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. bear — the animal
  4. press — to push
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. press — newspapers
  8. pop — soda
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a tool
  11. pop — music
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — in sport
  19. file — a document
  20. stock — shares
  21. rest — what's left
  22. suit — in cards
  23. season — of the year
  24. stock — goods

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