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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. spell — a short time
  5. field — farmland
  6. chip — for betting
  7. press — a publisher
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. field — a subject
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. spell — letters
  13. chip — to eat
  14. deal — to handle
  15. track — a song
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bore — to drill
  18. field — for sport
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. spell — magic
  21. press — to push
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a path
  24. deal — an agreement

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