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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. capital — money
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rock — music
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. capital — a city
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. rest — what's left
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. ground — crushed
  20. rock — a stone
  21. press — to push
  22. mark — a grade
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ground — a position

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