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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · press · degree · mate · rock · stock · mouse · leaves

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. press — to push
  5. stock — shares
  6. degree — temperature
  7. rock — music
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. press — a publisher
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. press — newspapers
  14. degree — from a university
  15. current — of water
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. degree — an amount
  18. stock — goods
  19. rock — a stone
  20. current — happening now
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — to breed

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