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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. current — electric
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. press — a publisher
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. current — of water
  9. race — the arms race
  10. current — happening now
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. press — to push
  13. foot — a measure
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. race — a contest
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. chip — to eat
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. press — newspapers
  20. wake — a trail
  21. chip — for betting
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. race — humankind
  24. bulb — of a plant

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