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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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. capital — a city
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — a signal
  6. current — happening now
  7. fall — the season
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — to push
  10. capital — money
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — in sport
  14. cue — for pool
  15. fall — to drop
  16. staff — employees
  17. fall — to drop
  18. staff — employees
  19. current — of water
  20. current — electric
  21. press — newspapers
  22. staff — a stick
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — on your feet

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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