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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
468
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: racket · rest · chair · current · sharp · press · fine · charge

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. fine — high quality
  3. charge — electricity
  4. press — to push
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. press — newspapers
  8. charge — in control
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — of water
  11. sharp — clever
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. charge — a price
  14. fine — all right
  15. current — electric
  16. chair — a leader
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rest — what's left
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. rest — a break
  21. press — a publisher
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. rest — what's left

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