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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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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: rule · pound · bowl · chip · season · press · arm · rock

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. press — a publisher
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. rule — government
  7. rock — music
  8. press — newspapers
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. chip — to eat
  11. season — of the year
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. rule — a law
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. press — to push
  17. season — in sport
  18. pound — a weight
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. chip — for betting
  24. pound — for dogs

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