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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 116 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. wound — an injury
  4. can — a tin
  5. press — newspapers
  6. pop — to visit
  7. can — to be able to
  8. saw — the tool
  9. shower — rain
  10. press — a publisher
  11. saw — the tool
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — money
  14. wound — an injury
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. pop — music
  17. press — to push
  18. pop — soda
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. shower — to wash
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. stand — to bear
  23. can — a tin
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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