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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. mate — to breed
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. lie — to recline
  5. press — to push
  6. chip — for betting
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. root — the cause
  11. prune — to trim
  12. press — a publisher
  13. root — of a plant
  14. prune — to trim
  15. root — of a word
  16. press — newspapers
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. roll — a cake
  20. mate — a partner
  21. roll — a list
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. mate — a friend

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