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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. press — to push
  3. press — newspapers
  4. capital — a city
  5. current — of water
  6. march — the month
  7. current — electric
  8. pit — a hole
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pit — in a race
  12. capital — money
  13. squash — to crush
  14. current — happening now
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. march — music
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. march — the month
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. press — a publisher
  23. squash — the sport
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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