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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. craft — boats
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — newspapers
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. hand — help
  8. pass — a permit
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — to fit
  13. capital — money
  14. craft — a skill
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. capital — a city
  17. hand — in cards
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — a tool
  20. suit — in cards
  21. press — to push
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. pass — to succeed

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