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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bore — to drill
  4. scale — size or range
  5. cap — a lid
  6. press — a publisher
  7. file — a document
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. press — to push
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bore — to tire
  12. file — a tool
  13. current — happening now
  14. file — a line of people
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. land — ground
  17. current — of water
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. cap — of ice
  21. scale — in music
  22. land — a country
  23. press — newspapers
  24. land — to come down

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