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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rule · pit · staff · current · press · cap

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. rule — government
  3. current — of water
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. cap — a hat
  6. staff — employees
  7. current — happening now
  8. press — a publisher
  9. cap — of ice
  10. staff — a stick
  11. press — to push
  12. staff — employees
  13. current — electric
  14. rule — a law
  15. cap — a lid
  16. press — newspapers
  17. pit — in a race
  18. rule — to rule out

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