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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 120 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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. current — of water
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. press — to push
  6. file — a document
  7. stock — goods
  8. deal — to handle
  9. sharp — clever
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. press — a publisher
  12. stock — shares
  13. file — a tool
  14. current — happening now
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. current — electric
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. file — a line of people
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mine — for digging
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. mine — an explosive

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