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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: hide · mate · current · sharp · bark · chip · temple · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. current — happening now
  3. bark — to shout
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. mate — a partner
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. mate — to breed
  12. press — to push
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. press — newspapers
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mate — a friend
  17. chip — to eat
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. current — of water
  21. sharp — clever
  22. current — electric
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. temple — a place of worship

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