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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. press — newspapers
  3. rest — a break
  4. charge — a price
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — to push
  7. perch — the fish
  8. march — music
  9. ground — a position
  10. prune — to trim
  11. march — the month
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. charge — electricity
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. rest — what's left
  18. current — electric
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. prune — to trim
  21. charge — in control
  22. rest — what's left
  23. march — the month
  24. ground — the earth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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