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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. rash — hasty
  3. current — happening now
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. scale — size or range
  7. current — of water
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. rest — what's left
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — a partner
  14. current — electric
  15. press — newspapers
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. rash — a series
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. mate — to breed
  22. press — to push
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mine — for digging

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