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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. press — a publisher
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. charge — electricity
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. wound — an injury
  7. press — newspapers
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bear — the animal
  11. charge — in control
  12. lie — to recline
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wound — an injury
  21. charge — a price
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. press — to push
  24. capital — money

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