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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 116 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 asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. board — to get on
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. press — newspapers
  9. spell — letters
  10. chip — for betting
  11. race — the arms race
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. race — humankind
  15. press — a publisher
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. board — a committee
  18. spell — a short time
  19. press — to push
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. stem — to come from
  23. race — a contest
  24. chip — to eat

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