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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. mug — a cup
  5. face — part of the head
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. press — newspapers
  8. face — to confront
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. press — a publisher
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. face — to point toward
  14. capital — money
  15. capital — a city
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. mug — a face
  18. scale — in music
  19. press — to push
  20. deal — to handle
  21. scale — size or range
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — to bear

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