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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: chip · charge · press · ruler · mouse · can · club · hand

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. press — a publisher
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. chip — to eat
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. charge — in control
  9. press — newspapers
  10. can — to be able to
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. club — for dancing
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. can — a tin
  15. charge — a price
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — in cards
  18. press — to push
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. can — a tin
  21. charge — electricity
  22. club — a group
  23. chip — for betting
  24. club — for golf

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