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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. chip — to eat
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. kid — to tease
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. kid — child
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bass — low music
  12. press — a publisher
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. press — to push
  15. bass — the fish
  16. chip — for betting
  17. wound — an injury
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. row — a line
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. row — to paddle
  24. wave — with your hand

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