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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. press — to push
  3. wax — to grow
  4. charge — a price
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. current — electric
  7. staff — employees
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bound — tied together
  10. stock — goods
  11. current — happening now
  12. bound — obliged
  13. charge — in control
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. staff — a stick
  16. press — newspapers
  17. staff — employees
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. toast — bread
  23. bound — certain
  24. charge — electricity

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