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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. press — newspapers
  3. firm — steady
  4. content — the amount
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. firm — decided
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. press — a publisher
  9. chip — to eat
  10. foot — a measure
  11. march — music
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cue — for pool
  15. content — happy
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — from crying
  18. chip — for betting
  19. tear — to rip
  20. march — the month
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. march — the month
  23. firm — a company
  24. foot — the bottom

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