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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. press — newspapers
  3. last — finally
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rush — hurry
  8. suit — clothes
  9. last — to go on
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. suit — in cards
  16. fall — to drop
  17. capital — money
  18. pass — a permit
  19. capital — a city
  20. fall — the season
  21. press — to push
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. press — a publisher

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