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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. wind — moving air
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. march — the month
  5. press — newspapers
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. chip — for betting
  8. march — the month
  9. press — to push
  10. club — for golf
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. club — for dancing
  14. press — a publisher
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. club — a group
  18. season — in sport
  19. rock — a stone
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. season — of the year
  22. march — music
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. chip — to eat

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