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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 116 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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. current — electric
  3. rock — music
  4. rush — hurry
  5. can — to be able to
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. stock — shares
  11. current — happening now
  12. can — a tin
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. current — of water
  15. press — to push
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. press — a publisher
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. rock — a stone
  23. mine — for digging
  24. can — a tin

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