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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — certain
  7. press — to push
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. capital — a city
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — in control
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. face — part of the head
  15. charge — a price
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. press — newspapers
  18. press — a publisher
  19. face — to confront
  20. mug — a face
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. mug — a cup
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. face — to point toward

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