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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. press — a publisher
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. capital — a city
  7. can — a tin
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. pound — a weight
  10. field — farmland
  11. can — a tin
  12. field — a subject
  13. can — to be able to
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. press — to push
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. press — newspapers
  20. prune — to trim
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. field — for sport

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