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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. tube — the underground
  3. file — a document
  4. cue — a hint
  5. current — of water
  6. cue — a signal
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — newspapers
  10. tube — a container
  11. file — a line of people
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. current — electric
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — a position
  16. stem — to come from
  17. file — a tool
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. press — to push
  20. branch — a division
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. ground — the earth
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. cue — for pool

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