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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. press — to push
  4. chip — for betting
  5. press — a publisher
  6. charge — electricity
  7. snap — to click
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. charge — a price
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. charge — in control
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. saw — the tool
  17. chip — to eat
  18. press — newspapers

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