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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 116 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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bank — for money
  4. can — to be able to
  5. degree — an amount
  6. rash — hasty
  7. squash — the sport
  8. can — a tin
  9. current — of water
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bank — of a river
  13. can — a tin
  14. current — happening now
  15. squash — to crush
  16. degree — temperature
  17. degree — from a university
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. press — to push
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bank — for money
  23. current — electric
  24. rash — a series

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