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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 120 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
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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: wake · spell · fine · chip · bank · press · perch · mine

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. press — a publisher
  3. mine — for digging
  4. spell — magic
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. press — newspapers
  8. perch — the fish
  9. spell — letters
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. bank — for money
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. fine — all right
  17. chip — for betting
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. spell — a short time
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. press — to push
  24. perch — for a bird

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