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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. degree — an amount
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. press — to push
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. current — of water
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. pit — a hole
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pit — in a race
  12. press — a publisher
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. current — electric
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. degree — temperature
  22. press — newspapers
  23. rule — a law
  24. degree — from a university

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