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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. capital — a city
  5. suit — in cards
  6. net — after costs
  7. press — to push
  8. last — to go on
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. net — for catching
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. suit — to fit
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. suit — clothes
  15. net — in sport
  16. last — final
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. capital — money
  19. toast — bread
  20. last — finally
  21. hand — in cards
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. press — a publisher
  24. hand — help

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