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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. deal — to handle
  6. file — a line of people
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. capital — a city
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. file — a document
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — a publisher
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. scale — in music
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. scale — size or range
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. chair — a leader
  20. file — a tool
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. capital — money
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. press — to push

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