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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. bound — tied together
  3. capital — money
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mark — a trace
  7. press — a publisher
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bound — obliged
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. press — to push
  12. press — newspapers
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. date — the fruit
  15. bound — certain
  16. capital — a city
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. lie — to recline
  20. mark — a grade
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. chair — a professorship

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