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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. cell — in biology
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. key — in music
  5. press — a publisher
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. cell — a phone
  13. chip — to eat
  14. press — to push
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. key — for a lock
  17. scale — in music
  18. chip — for betting
  19. stem — to come from
  20. scale — size or range
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. key — the most important part
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. jam — in traffic

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