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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. current — of water
  4. press — to push
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. key — in music
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. wound — an injury
  10. mark — a trace
  11. current — electric
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. key — the most important part
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. key — for a lock
  16. sharp — clever
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. mark — a grade
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. current — happening now
  22. press — a publisher
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. press — newspapers

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