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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. press — newspapers
  3. staff — employees
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. press — a publisher
  11. file — a document
  12. chip — for betting
  13. press — to push
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a line of people
  17. staff — employees
  18. land — to come down
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. land — a country
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. land — ground

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