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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. firm — steady
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. clip — for paper
  6. press — a publisher
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. file — a line of people
  9. firm — a company
  10. bear — the animal
  11. chip — for betting
  12. file — a tool
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. firm — decided
  19. press — to push
  20. file — a document
  21. bear — the animal
  22. press — newspapers
  23. clip — a video
  24. chip — to eat

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