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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 120 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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. current — electric
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. plane — a tool
  5. kick — in football
  6. squash — to crush
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. last — finally
  9. squash — the sport
  10. charge — in control
  11. current — of water
  12. press — to push
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. press — newspapers
  17. charge — a price
  18. current — happening now
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. charge — electricity
  21. last — to go on
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. last — final

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