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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — to visit
  3. chip — to eat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a hat
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. charge — electricity
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rock — music
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. firm — steady
  12. press — newspapers
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. charge — in control
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — a stone
  17. charge — a price
  18. press — a publisher
  19. firm — decided
  20. cap — a lid
  21. firm — a company
  22. chip — for betting
  23. press — to push
  24. pop — music

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