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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. current — electric
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. press — newspapers
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mine — for digging
  8. chip — for betting
  9. current — of water
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. band — a music group
  12. rush — hurry
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a ring
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. cue — a signal
  19. wake — a trail
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. press — a publisher
  23. current — happening now
  24. press — to push

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