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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. ball — a great time
  3. charge — a price
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bear — the animal
  6. lie — to recline
  7. ball — a dance
  8. current — of water
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. press — newspapers
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. net — after costs
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. net — in sport
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. net — for catching
  20. press — a publisher
  21. current — happening now
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. press — to push

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