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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.

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: bore · mouse · press · present · lean · current · cell · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a great time
  3. present — there
  4. lean — to bend
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. current — electric
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — to tire
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. cell — a phone
  18. present — a gift
  19. cell — in biology
  20. press — a publisher
  21. lean — thin
  22. present — the time now
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — of water

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