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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. mug — a face
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — newspapers
  5. firm — decided
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. current — electric
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to tire
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — in football
  13. wind — moving air
  14. firm — a company
  15. current — happening now
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bore — to drill
  19. mug — a cup
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. firm — steady
  22. squash — to crush
  23. mug — to rob
  24. press — to push

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