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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. press — newspapers
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. chip — to eat
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. club — a group
  9. bore — to drill
  10. club — for golf
  11. rush — hurry
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. press — a publisher
  15. land — a country
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bore — to tire
  19. land — to come down
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. club — for dancing
  23. press — to push
  24. land — ground

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