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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.

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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. chip — for betting
  3. ground — a position
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. content — the amount
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rock — a stone
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. game — wild animals
  11. march — the month
  12. chip — to eat
  13. press — a publisher
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. content — happy
  16. march — music
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. ground — crushed
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — music
  21. ground — the earth
  22. board — a committee
  23. game — a match
  24. board — to get on

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