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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. press — to push
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. track — a path
  7. press — newspapers
  8. track — to keep track
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — music
  11. clip — for paper
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. current — happening now
  15. clip — to cut
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. track — a song
  18. clip — a video
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. press — a publisher
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. wound — an injury

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