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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: mouse · leaves · bound · season · cell · press · chip · racket

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. press — newspapers
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bound — certain
  9. season — of the year
  10. press — a publisher
  11. chip — to eat
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. cell — in biology
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. press — to push
  16. cell — a phone
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. bound — obliged
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. season — in sport
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bound — tied together

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