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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. chip — for betting
  3. club — a group
  4. drill — the tool
  5. capital — money
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. net — for catching
  8. club — for dancing
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — after costs
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. rock — music
  14. drill — a practice
  15. rock — a stone
  16. press — newspapers
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. press — a publisher
  19. club — for golf
  20. chip — to eat
  21. capital — a city
  22. press — to push
  23. drill — army training
  24. lie — an untruth

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