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

Word bank: nail · rash · press · current · foot · pit · object · court

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. current — electric
  5. foot — a measure
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a hole
  8. current — of water
  9. court — of law
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. current — happening now
  12. court — for sport
  13. object — an aim
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. press — newspapers
  17. rash — hasty
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. court — of a king
  20. press — to push
  21. object — to protest
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. object — a thing
  24. rash — a series

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