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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: arm · current · club · fall · press · rule · fine · stick

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rule — a law
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. current — happening now
  5. fine — high quality
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for golf
  8. press — newspapers
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fine — all right
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. current — of water
  15. rule — government
  16. fall — the season
  17. press — a publisher
  18. club — for dancing
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fall — to drop
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. current — electric
  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