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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. press — newspapers
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. suit — in cards
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. fine — all right
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fine — high quality
  13. capital — a city
  14. spell — letters
  15. rule — government
  16. press — to push
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rule — a law
  19. pitch — completely
  20. capital — money
  21. spell — magic
  22. press — a publisher
  23. spell — a short time
  24. suit — to fit

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