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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: current · pitcher · ruler · ball · press · hand · sharp · pass

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. current — electric
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. current — of water
  5. hand — in cards
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. press — to push
  9. press — a publisher
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. hand — help
  14. ball — a great time
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. sharp — clever
  19. press — newspapers
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. current — happening now
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ball — a dance

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