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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. bank — for money
  3. press — to push
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — size or range
  6. tube — a container
  7. cap — a lid
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. press — newspapers
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bank — for money
  13. pop — soda
  14. bank — of a river
  15. tube — the underground
  16. capital — a city
  17. press — a publisher
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. pop — to visit
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a hat
  22. ball — a great time
  23. scale — in music
  24. pop — music

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