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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. file — a document
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. press — a publisher
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. staff — employees
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. game — a match
  17. chip — to eat
  18. press — to push
  19. bear — the animal
  20. file — a tool
  21. game — wild animals
  22. bear — the animal
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. file — a line of people

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