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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 116 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: coach · pit · chip · ball · snap · charge · leaves · press

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. press — a publisher
  3. ball — a dance
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. snap — to click
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pit — a hole
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. charge — in control
  12. chip — to eat
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pit — in a race
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. charge — a price
  21. press — newspapers
  22. chip — for betting
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. press — to push

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