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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — to push
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. rash — hasty
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. press — a publisher
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. rash — a series
  16. game — a match
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. game — wild animals
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. track — a song
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a path

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