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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 120 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. march — the month
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. current — happening now
  8. march — music
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. press — to push
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. rock — a stone
  13. sharp — clever
  14. dip — to sink
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. current — electric
  17. march — the month
  18. press — a publisher
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. craft — boats
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. current — of water
  24. rock — music

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