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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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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: chip · mate · deal · press · ground · craft

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. chip — for betting
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a skill
  6. ground — the earth
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. press — to push
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. chip — to eat
  11. press — a publisher
  12. ground — a position
  13. press — newspapers
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a friend
  18. deal — to handle

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