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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.

Make a worksheet

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: clip · press · game · hide · temple · wake · coach · chip

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. chip — for betting
  4. press — newspapers
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. wake — a trail
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. clip — to cut
  11. clip — for paper
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — to push
  14. chip — to eat
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. clip — a video
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. game — wild animals

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