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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.

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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rash — a series
  6. press — to push
  7. charge — a price
  8. press — a publisher
  9. current — of water
  10. charge — in control
  11. rash — hasty
  12. press — newspapers
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. charge — electricity
  15. current — electric
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. capital — money
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. current — happening now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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