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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rule — a law
  3. date — the fruit
  4. press — a publisher
  5. hand — in cards
  6. rule — government
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. chip — for betting
  9. press — newspapers
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. press — to push
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. can — to be able to
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. can — a tin
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. can — a tin
  19. hand — help
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. saw — the tool
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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