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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. cue — a hint
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. season — in sport
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — newspapers
  7. season — of the year
  8. press — to push
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — a practice
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. current — electric
  15. staff — a stick
  16. current — happening now
  17. cue — for pool
  18. staff — employees
  19. cue — a signal
  20. current — of water
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. staff — employees
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. drill — the tool

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