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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: cell · fine · clip · pass · sharp · can · press · current

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. current — happening now
  3. clip — to cut
  4. clip — for paper
  5. cell — a phone
  6. can — a tin
  7. fine — all right
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. current — electric
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. clip — a video
  12. can — to be able to
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. current — of water
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. pass — a permit
  20. press — newspapers
  21. sharp — clever
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. fine — high quality

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