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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bound — tied together
  3. capital — a city
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — certain
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. ground — the earth
  10. press — to push
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. capital — money
  13. charge — electricity
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. clip — for paper
  17. charge — in control
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. clip — a video
  21. ground — a position
  22. charge — a price
  23. press — newspapers
  24. clip — to cut

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