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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. saw — the tool
  3. file — a document
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. chip — to eat
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. chip — for betting
  10. lean — thin
  11. file — a tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. squash — to crush
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — a publisher
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. lean — to bend
  18. squash — the sport
  19. file — a line of people
  20. current — electric
  21. current — happening now
  22. press — to push
  23. current — of water
  24. fine — high quality

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