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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. current — happening now
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. press — newspapers
  7. current — electric
  8. press — a publisher
  9. lean — thin
  10. ball — a great time
  11. current — of water
  12. rock — music
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — high quality
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. mine — for digging
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. press — to push
  21. fine — all right
  22. lean — to bend
  23. ball — a dance
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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