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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. club — for dancing
  3. track — a song
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. spell — a short time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. spell — letters
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — a group
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mug — a face
  12. ball — a dance
  13. track — to keep track
  14. mug — a cup
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mug — to rob
  18. hand — help
  19. spell — magic
  20. press — a publisher
  21. chip — for betting
  22. track — a path
  23. press — to push
  24. hand — in cards

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