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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: press · ground · can · face · wound · current · racket · jam

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. ground — the earth
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. face — to point toward
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. press — newspapers
  11. ground — crushed
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. face — to confront
  15. wound — an injury
  16. can — a tin
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. face — part of the head
  19. press — a publisher
  20. wound — an injury
  21. press — to push
  22. can — to be able to
  23. ground — a position
  24. can — a tin

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