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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 116 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: mouse · sharp · court · current · stand · wave · press · prune

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. prune — to trim
  4. court — of law
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. press — a publisher
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. court — of a king
  12. current — electric
  13. sharp — clever
  14. press — to push
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. current — happening now
  17. court — for sport
  18. prune — to trim
  19. press — newspapers
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. stand — to bear
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. mouse — the animal

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