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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: bowl · dip · chip · press · safe · pit · track · drill

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. dip — to sink
  3. chip — to eat
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. drill — the tool
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. press — a publisher
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. drill — army training
  13. press — newspapers
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. track — a path
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. track — a song
  20. pit — a hole
  21. drill — a practice
  22. track — to keep track
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. chip — for betting

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