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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.

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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: charge · chip · press · stem · foot · spell · dip · staff

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. press — to push
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. chip — to eat
  7. press — a publisher
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. spell — magic
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. spell — a short time
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. charge — electricity
  14. staff — employees
  15. chip — for betting
  16. charge — in control
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. press — newspapers
  19. dip — to sink
  20. stem — to come from
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. spell — letters
  23. foot — a measure
  24. charge — a price

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