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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. ground — crushed
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bank — of a river
  5. current — electric
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. current — of water
  8. ground — the earth
  9. bound — certain
  10. current — happening now
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bank — for money
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — tied together
  15. charge — in control
  16. bank — for money
  17. deal — to handle
  18. charge — electricity
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — newspapers
  23. ground — a position
  24. charge — a price

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