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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. present — the time now
  3. press — newspapers
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. charge — electricity
  6. present — a gift
  7. charge — in control
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. present — there
  10. bass — the fish
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bass — low music
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — to get on
  15. charge — a price
  16. press — a publisher
  17. chip — for betting
  18. 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