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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. rule — government
  4. current — electric
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. press — a publisher
  9. current — happening now
  10. rule — a law
  11. current — of water
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fine — all right
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. press — to push
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. fine — high quality
  19. shower — to wash
  20. chip — for betting
  21. craft — a skill
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. chip — to eat
  24. press — newspapers

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