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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.

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: jam · current · net · chip · ground · press · cell · temple

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. net — in sport
  3. chip — to eat
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. press — to push
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. current — electric
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. press — newspapers
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. net — for catching
  14. ground — a position
  15. cell — in biology
  16. press — a publisher
  17. chip — for betting
  18. cell — a phone
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — of water
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. ground — crushed
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. ground — the earth

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