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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. current — electric
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. press — newspapers
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. press — to push
  10. bass — low music
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. pit — a hole
  13. press — a publisher
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. bank — of a river
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bark — to shout
  20. hand — help
  21. bank — for money
  22. pit — in a race
  23. hand — in cards
  24. bank — for money

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