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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.

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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: bat · charge · rush · current · press · trunk · capital · land

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. current — of water
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bat — the animal
  6. charge — a price
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. land — a country
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. charge — in control
  15. capital — a city
  16. press — a publisher
  17. current — happening now
  18. press — to push
  19. current — electric
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. land — ground
  22. charge — electricity
  23. land — to come down
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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