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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. current — electric
  3. spell — a short time
  4. current — happening now
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — decided
  9. degree — from a university
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. press — newspapers
  12. degree — temperature
  13. firm — steady
  14. press — to push
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. degree — an amount
  17. press — a publisher
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. spell — magic
  22. current — of water
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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