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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. saw — the tool
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — magic
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — to push
  7. snap — to click
  8. spell — letters
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. degree — an amount
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. degree — temperature
  13. mark — a trace
  14. press — a publisher
  15. current — electric
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. vault — a safe
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mark — a grade
  23. current — of water
  24. degree — from a university

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