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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. charge — in control
  3. pass — a permit
  4. rock — a stone
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. charge — a price
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. press — a publisher
  12. capital — money
  13. press — newspapers
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. capital — a city
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. 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