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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: press · suit · ground · current · charge · kick · stock · patient

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. suit — to fit
  3. ground — a position
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. current — happening now
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. press — a publisher
  8. suit — in cards
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. stock — shares
  12. charge — in control
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. stock — goods
  15. press — newspapers
  16. charge — electricity
  17. current — electric
  18. ground — crushed
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. charge — a price
  21. suit — clothes
  22. current — of water
  23. press — to push
  24. ground — the earth

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