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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. row — a line
  3. chip — for betting
  4. suit — in cards
  5. spring — the season
  6. row — to paddle
  7. ground — a position
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. can — a tin
  11. suit — clothes
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. can — to be able to
  14. toast — bread
  15. ground — crushed
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. spring — of water
  18. suit — to fit
  19. can — a tin
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. spring — a coil
  22. ground — the earth
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. press — a publisher

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