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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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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. current — electric
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. last — finally
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. last — final
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — hurry
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. press — a publisher
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. current — happening now
  16. last — to go on
  17. press — to push
  18. mug — to rob
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. mug — a cup
  21. vault — a safe
  22. mug — a face
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. current — of water

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