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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  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. press — newspapers
  2. cue — a hint
  3. pit — a hole
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. tear — to rip
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. current — of water
  8. current — electric
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pit — in a race
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. sharp — clever
  13. tear — from crying
  14. roll — a cake
  15. cue — a signal
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. roll — a list
  19. press — a publisher
  20. tear — from crying
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. current — happening now
  23. press — to push
  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