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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · sharp · mine · row · press · rock · court · rush

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. current — happening now
  3. rock — music
  4. current — electric
  5. sharp — clever
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. press — newspapers
  8. court — of a king
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. mine — for digging
  12. court — of law
  13. court — for sport
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. rock — a stone
  17. row — a line
  18. press — to push
  19. rush — hurry
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. row — to paddle
  22. current — of water
  23. press — a publisher
  24. rock — to move gently

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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