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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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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: mine · saw · press · staff · leaves · chip · band · suit

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. saw — the tool
  5. band — a ring
  6. press — to push
  7. staff — a stick
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. press — a publisher
  11. suit — clothes
  12. band — a music group
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. press — newspapers
  15. suit — in cards
  16. saw — the tool
  17. mine — for digging
  18. chip — to eat
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. staff — employees
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. suit — to fit
  24. staff — employees

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