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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. chip — to eat
  3. press — to push
  4. rash — hasty
  5. press — newspapers
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. rash — a series
  8. cue — a hint
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. hand — in cards
  11. chip — for betting
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. press — a publisher
  14. spring — the season
  15. cue — for pool
  16. staff — employees
  17. cue — a signal
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — a partner
  20. staff — a stick
  21. hand — help
  22. staff — employees
  23. spring — a coil
  24. mate — to breed

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