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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 120 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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. press — newspapers
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. object — a thing
  5. press — to push
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. object — to protest
  8. last — to go on
  9. capital — a city
  10. press — a publisher
  11. capital — money
  12. last — final
  13. last — finally
  14. suit — in cards
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. saw — the tool
  17. suit — to fit
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. saw — the tool
  20. spring — of water
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. object — an aim
  23. suit — clothes
  24. spring — a coil

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