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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. present — there
  4. mark — a grade
  5. present — the time now
  6. pass — a permit
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. press — newspapers
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — to come from
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. chip — for betting
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mark — a trace
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. present — a gift
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. press — to push
  24. mark — to pay attention

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