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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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. press — to push
  4. club — for dancing
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. court — of law
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. fine — all right
  12. stem — to come from
  13. press — a publisher
  14. court — for sport
  15. club — a group
  16. court — of a king
  17. press — newspapers
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. club — for golf
  20. chip — to eat
  21. fine — high quality
  22. wax — to grow
  23. fine — a penalty
  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