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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. scale — in music
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. wake — a trail
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. rule — government
  10. kick — in football
  11. object — to protest
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. press — to push
  14. chip — to eat
  15. press — a publisher
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. press — newspapers
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — a law
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. object — an aim
  22. chip — for betting
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. scale — size or range

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