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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. file — a tool
  3. press — newspapers
  4. can — a tin
  5. press — a publisher
  6. ground — the earth
  7. current — electric
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. current — of water
  10. current — happening now
  11. wake — a trail
  12. game — a match
  13. press — to push
  14. game — wild animals
  15. file — a document
  16. rule — government
  17. ground — a position
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. file — a line of people
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. rule — a law

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