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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. race — humankind
  3. bound — certain
  4. race — a contest
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. cap — a hat
  7. race — the arms race
  8. current — happening now
  9. foot — a measure
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bound — tied together
  16. current — of water
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. cap — of ice
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — to push
  22. pop — music
  23. press — a publisher
  24. cap — a lid

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