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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: press · rule · chip · file · wave · snap · fan · bark

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. press — newspapers
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bark — to shout
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. file — a document
  12. press — to push
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. rule — a law
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. snap — to click
  19. press — a publisher
  20. file — a line of people
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. chip — for betting
  24. rule — government

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