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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. chest — a box
  3. mark — a trace
  4. press — a publisher
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — of your body
  7. fine — all right
  8. press — newspapers
  9. wound — an injury
  10. current — happening now
  11. fine — high quality
  12. land — to come down
  13. current — electric
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. land — a country
  18. land — ground
  19. wound — an injury
  20. press — to push
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mark — a grade
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  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