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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. staff — a stick
  4. wound — an injury
  5. key — for a lock
  6. current — electric
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. press — a publisher
  9. key — in music
  10. press — to push
  11. wound — an injury
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wind — moving air
  16. press — newspapers
  17. current — happening now
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. key — the most important part
  24. wind — moving air

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