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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. mark — a grade
  5. last — finally
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. press — to push
  10. press — a publisher
  11. ball — a great time
  12. press — newspapers
  13. last — to go on
  14. mark — a trace
  15. board — a committee
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bore — to drill
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. board — to get on
  23. ball — a dance
  24. last — 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