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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mug — a face
  3. wake — a trail
  4. current — of water
  5. current — electric
  6. mug — a cup
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. content — happy
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — a company
  11. press — newspapers
  12. tube — a container
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. current — happening now
  15. tube — the underground
  16. press — to push
  17. firm — steady
  18. suit — clothes
  19. content — the amount
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. press — a publisher
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mug — to rob

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