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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 120 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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. press — newspapers
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. band — a music group
  5. cue — a signal
  6. suit — to fit
  7. firm — decided
  8. press — to push
  9. row — a line
  10. suit — in cards
  11. chair — a leader
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. capital — money
  14. cue — a hint
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. press — a publisher
  18. row — to paddle
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cue — for pool
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. band — a ring

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