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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. lean — to bend
  3. chip — for betting
  4. prune — to trim
  5. plane — a tool
  6. press — to push
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. track — to keep track
  9. key — in music
  10. key — for a lock
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. lean — thin
  13. track — a path
  14. chip — to eat
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. press — a publisher
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. key — the most important part
  21. press — newspapers
  22. track — a song
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bowl — a football final

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