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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: current · ruler · saw · press · track · hide · shower · net

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. press — a publisher
  3. track — a song
  4. saw — the tool
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. track — a path
  7. net — in sport
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. current — happening now
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. saw — the tool
  12. track — to keep track
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. shower — rain
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. current — of water
  17. press — newspapers
  18. net — for catching
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. net — after costs
  21. press — to push
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. shower — to wash

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