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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. cap — a hat
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stock — goods
  5. bass — low music
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. press — newspapers
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. press — to push
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. press — a publisher
  19. stock — shares
  20. cap — a lid
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. cap — of ice
  24. current — happening now

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