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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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Word bank
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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. key — in music
  3. cell — a phone
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. press — to push
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. press — newspapers
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. can — a tin
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. press — a publisher
  17. chip — for betting
  18. can — to be able to
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. key — the most important part
  22. cell — in biology
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. can — a tin

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