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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wake — a trail
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. last — final
  6. last — to go on
  7. capital — money
  8. press — newspapers
  9. spell — magic
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. kick — in football
  13. spell — letters
  14. last — finally
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. spell — a short time
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. capital — a city
  22. press — a publisher
  23. chip — to eat
  24. press — to push

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