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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. game — a match
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. current — happening now
  5. ground — the earth
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. stand — to bear
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. game — wild animals
  16. current — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. press — a publisher
  20. ground — crushed
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. snap — to click
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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