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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. chip — for betting
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. press — newspapers
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. bulb — for light
  8. press — to push
  9. content — the amount
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bulb — for light
  14. chip — to eat
  15. rash — hasty
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rash — a series
  18. fine — all right
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — magic
  21. content — happy
  22. spell — letters
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. press — a publisher

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