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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.

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: row · present · chip · hide · scale · press · capital · track

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — a gift
  3. chip — for betting
  4. row — to paddle
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. capital — money
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. track — a song
  11. press — newspapers
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. chip — to eat
  16. press — a publisher
  17. present — there
  18. row — a line
  19. press — to push
  20. track — to keep track
  21. scale — size or range
  22. capital — a city
  23. scale — in music
  24. track — a path

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