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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.

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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. press — a publisher
  4. wound — an injury
  5. press — newspapers
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. wound — an injury
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pass — a permit
  16. chip — for betting
  17. pass — to spend time
  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