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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. degree — from a university
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — a publisher
  5. firm — a company
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. chip — for betting
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. current — happening now
  11. firm — steady
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. press — to push
  14. degree — an amount
  15. plane — a tool
  16. degree — temperature
  17. current — of water
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. chip — to eat
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. firm — decided
  24. mouse — the animal

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