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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. bound — certain
  3. track — to keep track
  4. chip — to eat
  5. club — a group
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. track — a song
  12. bound — tied together
  13. club — for dancing
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. press — newspapers
  17. press — to push
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. date — the fruit
  21. club — for golf
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bound — obliged
  24. track — a path

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