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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. key — in music
  3. fall — to drop
  4. chip — to eat
  5. fall — to drop
  6. key — for a lock
  7. track — a song
  8. key — the most important part
  9. fall — the season
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. track — a path
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. chip — for betting
  15. stock — shares
  16. press — newspapers
  17. press — to push
  18. track — to keep track

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