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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. press — newspapers
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. mine — for digging
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. chip — to eat
  13. game — a match
  14. press — to push
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. branch — a division
  19. chip — for betting
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. game — wild animals
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mine — belonging to me

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