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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: season · fan · press · arm · object · ball · snap · chip

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. object — a thing
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. object — an aim
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. season — of the year
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. season — in sport
  12. ball — a dance
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. chip — for betting
  15. press — to push
  16. object — to protest
  17. snap — to click
  18. chip — to eat
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. press — newspapers
  22. ball — a great time
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. ball — a round shape

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