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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. race — humankind
  3. kid — child
  4. race — the arms race
  5. fine — high quality
  6. snap — to click
  7. press — to push
  8. fine — all right
  9. spring — a coil
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. press — a publisher
  12. race — a contest
  13. press — newspapers
  14. spring — the season
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. spring — of water
  20. current — electric
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. kid — to tease
  24. current — of water

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