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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 120 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 · ball · stick · arm · pass · file · fall · press

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. current — electric
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. press — newspapers
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. fall — to drop
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. ball — a great time
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pass — a permit
  15. press — to push
  16. file — a tool
  17. press — a publisher
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. current — happening now
  20. file — a document
  21. fall — to drop
  22. current — of water
  23. fall — the season
  24. file — a line of people

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