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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. ball — a great time
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. cue — a signal
  9. press — a publisher
  10. current — of water
  11. cue — a hint
  12. current — happening now
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. ball — a dance
  15. pass — a permit
  16. cue — for pool
  17. sharp — clever
  18. charge — in control
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. press — to push
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. current — electric
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. press — newspapers

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