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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.

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: press · current · foot · racket · clip · squash

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. clip — to cut
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. clip — a video
  5. press — a publisher
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. foot — a measure
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. press — newspapers
  13. clip — for paper
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. press — to push
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. squash — the sport

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