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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  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. temple — side of the head
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. court — for sport
  5. press — a publisher
  6. court — of law
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. press — to push
  9. chip — to eat
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. game — a match
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. press — newspapers
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. saw — the tool
  18. game — wild animals
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. court — of a king
  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