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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. press — newspapers
  3. last — to go on
  4. can — a tin
  5. chip — for betting
  6. charge — a price
  7. chip — to eat
  8. net — after costs
  9. can — to be able to
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bat — the animal
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — in sport
  15. press — to push
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. last — finally
  21. can — a tin
  22. last — final
  23. charge — in control
  24. jam — a tight spot

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