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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: press · current · wave · prune · nail · foot · mark · wound

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. prune — to trim
  6. current — happening now
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. mark — a grade
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. press — to push
  11. wound — an injury
  12. prune — to trim
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. wound — an injury
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. foot — a measure
  17. press — newspapers
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. current — of water
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. press — a publisher

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