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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.

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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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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: ground · current · rush · press · fall · sharp · can · trunk

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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. can — a tin
  4. ground — a position
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. can — a tin
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. press — a publisher
  9. ground — the earth
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. can — to be able to
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. fall — to drop
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. current — happening now
  16. rush — hurry
  17. current — of water
  18. fall — to drop
  19. press — newspapers
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. sharp — clever
  22. fall — the season
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. current — electric

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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