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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: object · stock · jam · bore · press · clip · cue · mark

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. press — to push
  4. bore — to drill
  5. stock — shares
  6. clip — to cut
  7. object — to protest
  8. press — newspapers
  9. mark — a grade
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. clip — a video
  12. object — an aim
  13. cue — a signal
  14. stock — goods
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. press — a publisher
  20. object — a thing
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. mark — a trace
  23. cue — for pool
  24. clip — for paper

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