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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. file — a line of people
  10. cue — for pool
  11. chip — for betting
  12. file — a document
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. file — a tool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. track — a path
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. bass — low music
  21. cue — a signal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. press — newspapers
  24. press — to push

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