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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.

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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: charge · club · deal · press · lash · saw · march · current

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. club — a group
  5. press — a publisher
  6. march — the month
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. current — electric
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. club — for golf
  13. march — music
  14. club — for dancing
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. press — newspapers
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now
  19. charge — a price
  20. deal — to handle
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. saw — the tool
  24. press — to push

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