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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. mug — to rob
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. mug — a cup
  5. chip — for betting
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. band — a ring
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. band — a music group
  10. tear — from crying
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. chip — to eat
  17. tear — to rip
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. mug — a face
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. press — to push
  24. chip — in a computer

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