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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: press · pit · chip · ball · current · pitcher · root · rush

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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. current — of water
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. root — of a word
  10. chip — to eat
  11. current — electric
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pit — in a race
  15. current — happening now
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. press — newspapers
  18. root — of a plant
  19. press — a publisher
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. root — the cause
  22. press — to push
  23. chip — for betting
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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