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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. press — to push
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. press — newspapers
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — a group
  8. rush — hurry
  9. press — a publisher
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — a city
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rash — a series
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — steady
  17. charge — a price
  18. firm — a company
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. scale — size or range
  22. capital — money
  23. charge — in control
  24. scale — in music

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