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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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Word bank
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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pit — a hole
  4. capital — money
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — the season
  7. track — a song
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. press — to push
  11. fall — to drop
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. track — a path
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. capital — a city
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pit — in a race
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. press — newspapers

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