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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. press — newspapers
  3. court — of a king
  4. band — a ring
  5. current — electric
  6. band — a music group
  7. net — in sport
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. press — to push
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. court — for sport
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. current — of water
  15. press — a publisher
  16. current — happening now
  17. court — of law
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. net — for catching
  20. net — after costs
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. wound — an injury
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. pass — a permit

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