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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: key · board · prune · degree · kick · chip · ball · press

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. kick — in football
  4. press — to push
  5. prune — to trim
  6. press — newspapers
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. degree — temperature
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. degree — from a university
  12. ball — a dance
  13. board — a committee
  14. chip — for betting
  15. degree — an amount
  16. board — to get on
  17. ball — a great time
  18. key — in music
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. key — for a lock
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. press — a publisher
  24. key — the most important part

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