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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 116 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. fall — to drop
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. cue — a hint
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. chip — to eat
  13. cue — for pool
  14. pit — a hole
  15. press — to push
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. press — newspapers
  18. content — happy
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pit — in a race
  21. fall — the season
  22. cue — a signal
  23. chip — for betting
  24. content — the amount

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