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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. rest — a break
  3. press — to push
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bound — tied together
  7. current — electric
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bound — certain
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bound — obliged
  12. race — the arms race
  13. firm — a company
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. race — humankind
  16. firm — steady
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. current — happening now
  19. rest — what's left
  20. firm — decided
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. press — newspapers
  23. race — a contest
  24. current — of water

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