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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 116 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 ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  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. pound — a weight
  2. capital — money
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. mug — to rob
  5. capital — a city
  6. mate — to breed
  7. current — of water
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — a cup
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — electric
  14. pass — a permit
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. press — a publisher
  17. rash — hasty
  18. mate — a friend
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. press — to push
  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