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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. capital — a city
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. can — a tin
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bank — of a river
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. can — to be able to
  9. lie — to recline
  10. stock — goods
  11. capital — money
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. press — a publisher
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bank — for money
  16. press — to push
  17. can — a tin
  18. bank — for money
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. press — newspapers
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. stock — shares
  23. board — a committee
  24. arm — a part of something

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