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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. press — newspapers
  4. net — for catching
  5. craft — a skill
  6. lean — to bend
  7. file — a document
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. chip — to eat
  12. file — a line of people
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. craft — boats
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. lean — thin
  17. press — a publisher
  18. file — a tool
  19. press — to push
  20. net — after costs
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. net — in sport
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. craft — a handicraft

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