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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. chip — to eat
  3. press — to push
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. file — a line of people
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. press — a publisher
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. file — a document
  12. mug — a face
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. file — a tool
  15. press — newspapers
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. stem — to come from
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. mug — a cup
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stem — of a plant

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