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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. pop — soda
  3. press — newspapers
  4. branch — a division
  5. game — wild animals
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. press — to push
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. press — a publisher
  10. pop — music
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. key — for a lock
  13. cue — a hint
  14. key — in music
  15. cue — a signal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. game — a match
  19. pop — to visit
  20. cue — for pool
  21. wind — moving air
  22. key — the most important part
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. wind — moving air

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