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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. object — to protest
  3. track — a path
  4. chip — for betting
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. cap — a hat
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. press — to push
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. track — a song
  12. object — a thing
  13. press — a publisher
  14. mine — for digging
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. cap — a lid
  18. chip — to eat
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. press — newspapers
  21. object — an aim
  22. cap — of ice
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. track — to keep track

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