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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. capital — money
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. charge — a price
  5. cue — a hint
  6. capital — a city
  7. spring — the season
  8. cue — for pool
  9. press — newspapers
  10. spring — of water
  11. charge — electricity
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mug — a face
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mug — to rob
  16. ball — a great time
  17. charge — in control
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. mug — a cup
  20. spring — a coil
  21. cue — a signal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. press — a publisher

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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