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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stock · present · current · press · patient · degree · game · bulb

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  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 — newspapers
  2. present — the time now
  3. press — to push
  4. bulb — for light
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — there
  7. current — of water
  8. current — happening now
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. stock — shares
  13. degree — an amount
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stock — goods
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. game — wild animals
  18. bulb — for light
  19. degree — from a university
  20. game — a match
  21. press — a publisher
  22. degree — temperature
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. current — electric

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