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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. press — newspapers
  3. key — the most important part
  4. capital — a city
  5. can — a tin
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. scale — size or range
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a hat
  10. key — in music
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. cap — a lid
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. key — for a lock
  16. can — a tin
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. capital — money
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. can — to be able to
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. press — a publisher

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