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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cue · spell · mug · band · chip · press

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — a short time
  4. chip — to eat
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. mug — a face
  7. cue — a signal
  8. press — to push
  9. cue — a hint
  10. press — newspapers
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. band — a music group
  13. spell — letters
  14. press — a publisher
  15. chip — for betting
  16. band — a ring
  17. mug — to rob
  18. cue — for pool

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