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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. pop — music
  3. mark — a trace
  4. press — newspapers
  5. perch — the fish
  6. race — a contest
  7. plane — a tool
  8. press — to push
  9. press — a publisher
  10. race — the arms race
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pop — to visit
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. cue — for pool
  16. pop — soda
  17. race — humankind
  18. chip — for betting
  19. cue — a hint
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. cue — a signal
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — to pay attention

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