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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. pop — music
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. stand — to bear
  5. press — a publisher
  6. craft — a skill
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. can — to be able to
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. sharp — clever
  12. board — a committee
  13. pop — soda
  14. pop — to visit
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. capital — a city
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. craft — boats
  21. press — newspapers
  22. capital — money
  23. press — to push
  24. board — to get on

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