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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. club — for golf
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. club — for dancing
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. clip — for paper
  10. chip — for betting
  11. press — a publisher
  12. scale — in music
  13. club — a group
  14. press — to push
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. press — newspapers
  17. clip — a video
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. clip — to cut
  20. chip — to eat
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. mouse — the animal

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