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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 120 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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — to sink
  3. press — a publisher
  4. chip — for betting
  5. march — the month
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. press — to push
  8. season — in sport
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. press — newspapers
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. snap — to click
  16. season — of the year
  17. rule — a law
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. march — music
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — government
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. march — the month
  24. chip — to eat

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