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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bank — for money
  5. pop — music
  6. key — for a lock
  7. capital — money
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. capital — a city
  10. key — the most important part
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. pop — to visit
  13. press — a publisher
  14. row — a line
  15. bank — of a river
  16. season — in sport
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. key — in music
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pop — soda
  21. bank — for money
  22. row — to paddle
  23. season — of the year
  24. press — to push

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