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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: straw · rock · press · mug · scale · chip · clip · content

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. press — to push
  7. scale — in music
  8. clip — a video
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. clip — to cut
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. mug — a face
  13. clip — for paper
  14. scale — size or range
  15. content — happy
  16. press — a publisher
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mug — to rob
  20. press — newspapers
  21. rock — music
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. content — the amount

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