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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. cap — a lid
  3. press — a publisher
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. capital — money
  7. rock — a stone
  8. capital — a city
  9. roll — a list
  10. rock — music
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. cap — a hat
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. sharp — clever
  18. press — newspapers
  19. scale — size or range
  20. press — to push
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. dip — to sink
  23. roll — a cake
  24. cap — of ice

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