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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. file — a tool
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. clip — a video
  6. drill — a practice
  7. file — a document
  8. file — a line of people
  9. press — newspapers
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. mate — a friend
  14. drill — the tool
  15. drill — army training
  16. press — a publisher
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. press — to push
  22. clip — for paper
  23. clip — to cut
  24. hide — animal skin

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