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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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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. row — to paddle
  3. object — a thing
  4. press — a publisher
  5. last — to go on
  6. object — to protest
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. chip — to eat
  9. mine — for digging
  10. staff — employees
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. last — finally
  14. object — an aim
  15. chip — for betting
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. last — final
  18. row — a line
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — to visit
  21. press — to push
  22. pop — soda
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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