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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: wound · pop · net · mug · rule · press · bay · current

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. current — happening now
  5. press — newspapers
  6. mug — a face
  7. current — electric
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. press — a publisher
  10. pop — soda
  11. press — to push
  12. wound — an injury
  13. net — for catching
  14. wound — an injury
  15. current — of water
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. net — after costs
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pop — to visit
  22. rule — government
  23. pop — music
  24. mug — a cup

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