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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. net — for catching
  3. saw — the tool
  4. tube — a container
  5. press — newspapers
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. saw — the tool
  8. press — a publisher
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. stock — shares
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. net — in sport
  14. board — a committee
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. chip — for betting
  18. press — to push
  19. band — a ring
  20. stock — goods
  21. net — after costs
  22. tube — the underground
  23. band — a music group
  24. board — to get on

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