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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. net — for catching
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. chip — to eat
  6. net — in sport
  7. press — newspapers
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. net — after costs
  11. current — electric
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chip — for betting
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. press — to push
  16. club — a group
  17. bulb — for light
  18. current — happening now
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. wind — moving air
  21. current — of water
  22. club — for dancing
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. club — for golf

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