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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. press — to push
  3. can — a tin
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. drill — the tool
  7. mate — a partner
  8. can — a tin
  9. club — for dancing
  10. hand — help
  11. drill — army training
  12. club — for golf
  13. ground — crushed
  14. chip — to eat
  15. mate — to breed
  16. can — to be able to
  17. chip — for betting
  18. press — a publisher
  19. mate — a friend
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — the earth
  22. press — newspapers
  23. drill — a practice
  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