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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. current — happening now
  3. scale — size or range
  4. press — to push
  5. last — to go on
  6. bound — certain
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. last — final
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bound — tied together
  11. scale — in music
  12. current — electric
  13. mark — a grade
  14. press — a publisher
  15. charge — in control
  16. current — of water
  17. bound — obliged
  18. press — newspapers
  19. charge — a price
  20. last — finally
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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