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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: chip · wind · ruler · ball · clip · press · suit · lean

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. press — to push
  3. lean — to bend
  4. press — a publisher
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. clip — to cut
  8. press — newspapers
  9. clip — a video
  10. ball — a dance
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wind — moving air
  13. ball — a great time
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. lean — thin
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. suit — to fit
  20. clip — for paper
  21. chip — to eat
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — in cards
  24. ruler — for measuring

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