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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: clip · lie · ground · rest · press · scale · chip · fan

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. press — to push
  3. ground — a position
  4. rest — what's left
  5. ground — crushed
  6. press — newspapers
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. lie — to recline
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rest — a break
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — to eat
  13. clip — a video
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. press — a publisher
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. clip — to cut
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. chip — for betting
  20. ground — the earth
  21. clip — for paper
  22. scale — in music
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rest — what's left

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