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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bound — tied together
  3. plane — a tool
  4. press — newspapers
  5. rush — hurry
  6. capital — a city
  7. can — a tin
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. press — a publisher
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bound — certain
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. can — to be able to
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. press — to push
  19. chair — a leader
  20. capital — money
  21. can — a tin
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. bound — obliged

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