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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. current — of water
  3. season — of the year
  4. mug — a cup
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. mug — to rob
  8. current — happening now
  9. mug — a face
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. season — in sport
  12. press — newspapers
  13. sharp — clever
  14. chair — a leader
  15. press — a publisher
  16. current — electric
  17. press — to push
  18. chair — a professorship

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