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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.

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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: press · wake · suit · chip · ruler · deal · pit · rock

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pit — in a race
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pit — a hole
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. chip — for betting
  11. suit — in cards
  12. press — newspapers
  13. rock — music
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chip — to eat
  16. press — to push
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. deal — to handle
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. press — a publisher
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. rock — a stone
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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