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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: game · foot · mark · press · roll · current · pass · mine

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. press — newspapers
  3. mark — a grade
  4. current — electric
  5. game — a match
  6. press — to push
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. roll — a list
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — for digging
  13. roll — a cake
  14. foot — a measure
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. press — a publisher
  17. pass — a permit
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — of water
  20. mark — a trace
  21. game — wild animals
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. foot — part of the body

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