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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. suit — in cards
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. board — a committee
  6. march — the month
  7. pop — music
  8. march — music
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. suit — clothes
  12. press — newspapers
  13. board — to get on
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. march — the month
  16. capital — money
  17. pop — soda
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. pop — to visit
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — to push
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. capital — a city

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