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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. mug — a cup
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — to push
  7. band — a music group
  8. wind — moving air
  9. chip — for betting
  10. swing — music
  11. degree — temperature
  12. degree — an amount
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. wind — moving air
  15. mug — to rob
  16. degree — from a university
  17. swing — to play on
  18. mug — a face
  19. swing — in golf
  20. press — a publisher
  21. band — a ring
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. wind — to turn a key

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