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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.

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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. press — to push
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bore — to drill
  8. game — wild animals
  9. fine — high quality
  10. press — newspapers
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bulb — for light
  13. saw — the tool
  14. game — a match
  15. bulb — for light
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. capital — money
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. fine — all right
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bore — to tire
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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