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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 116 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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. press — newspapers
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bound — obliged
  5. wax — to grow
  6. mate — a friend
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. press — a publisher
  9. capital — money
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bound — certain
  13. press — to push
  14. mate — to breed
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. suit — clothes
  18. kid — child
  19. capital — a city
  20. bound — tied together
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. kid — to tease
  24. chair — a leader

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