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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 120 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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. drill — army training
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. press — newspapers
  6. stock — goods
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pit — a hole
  9. stock — shares
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. capital — money
  12. press — to push
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. drill — a practice
  16. pit — in a race
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. drill — the tool
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. lean — thin
  23. press — a publisher
  24. lean — to rest against

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