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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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. chip — to eat
  4. press — newspapers
  5. season — of the year
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. fall — to drop
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. content — happy
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. press — to push
  13. fall — the season
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. band — a ring
  17. content — the amount
  18. band — a music group
  19. pop — to visit
  20. press — a publisher
  21. fall — to drop
  22. season — in sport
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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