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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · wave · rule · bear · bat · charge · chip · track

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. charge — in control
  3. chip — to eat
  4. charge — electricity
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. track — a path
  8. press — to push
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. press — a publisher
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bear — the animal
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rule — a law
  18. chip — for betting
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. charge — a price
  21. press — newspapers
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bat — the animal
  24. rule — to rule out

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