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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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. ground — crushed
  3. clip — a video
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. press — newspapers
  6. scale — in music
  7. content — the amount
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. content — happy
  11. charge — in control
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bark — to shout
  14. ground — a position
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. clip — to cut
  17. press — to push
  18. scale — size or range
  19. press — a publisher
  20. clip — for paper
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. ground — the earth
  24. chip — to eat

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