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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. rule — a law
  5. press — to push
  6. perch — the fish
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. row — to paddle
  10. press — a publisher
  11. press — newspapers
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. key — in music
  16. rule — government
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. row — a line
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. racket — for tennis

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