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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. can — to be able to
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. capital — money
  5. can — a tin
  6. capital — a city
  7. can — a tin
  8. press — a publisher
  9. face — to point toward
  10. pound — a weight
  11. face — part of the head
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. face — to confront
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. current — of water
  19. current — happening now
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — to push
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. current — electric

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