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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — to push
  4. degree — an amount
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. key — for a lock
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. degree — from a university
  9. field — for sport
  10. chip — to eat
  11. field — farmland
  12. club — a group
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. sharp — clever
  15. key — the most important part
  16. press — a publisher
  17. club — for golf
  18. field — a subject
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. club — for dancing
  21. key — in music
  22. degree — temperature
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. temple — a place of worship

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