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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. rash — hasty
  3. press — to push
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. press — newspapers
  7. scale — in music
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cue — a hint
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. hand — help
  13. current — electric
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — for pool
  19. current — happening now
  20. dip — to sink
  21. current — of water
  22. rash — a series
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hand — part of the body

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