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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. scale — size or range
  3. press — newspapers
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — a permit
  7. chip — for betting
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. kid — to tease
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. press — to push
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. press — a publisher
  18. can — a tin
  19. chip — to eat
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. scale — in music
  22. can — a tin
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. can — to be able to

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