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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. rock — a stone
  4. press — to push
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. content — the amount
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. staff — employees
  9. capital — a city
  10. content — happy
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. staff — employees
  14. lean — to bend
  15. mine — for digging
  16. lean — thin
  17. chip — for betting
  18. staff — a stick
  19. rock — music
  20. chip — to eat
  21. press — a publisher
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. press — newspapers

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