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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. shower — to wash
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pit — a hole
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. shower — rain
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pit — in a race
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. root — the cause
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mark — a grade
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. root — of a word
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. root — of a plant
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bear — the animal
  21. press — a publisher
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. press — to push
  24. press — newspapers

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