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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 124 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. object — an aim
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. object — to protest
  6. row — to paddle
  7. object — a thing
  8. press — a publisher
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. chip — for betting
  12. stem — to come from
  13. current — of water
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. row — a line
  18. press — newspapers
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — electric
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. press — to push
  24. nail — on a finger

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