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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. current — electric
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. roll — a list
  5. pop — music
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. press — newspapers
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. present — there
  10. press — a publisher
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. pop — soda
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. mug — a cup
  15. roll — a cake
  16. rule — government
  17. pop — to visit
  18. present — a gift
  19. mug — a face
  20. press — to push
  21. mug — to rob
  22. current — of water
  23. present — the time now
  24. current — happening now

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