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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. pop — music
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — electric
  5. object — an aim
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. sharp — clever
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — obliged
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. pop — soda
  14. object — to protest
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — to push
  18. object — a thing
  19. bound — tied together
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. pop — to visit
  22. press — newspapers
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

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