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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. can — to be able to
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bound — tied together
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — a cake
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bound — obliged
  15. press — newspapers
  16. capital — a city
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bound — certain
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. press — to push
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. capital — money

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