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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. mug — a face
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. fall — the season
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. press — a publisher
  10. kick — in football
  11. deal — to handle
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kid — child
  14. kid — to tease
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. mug — to rob
  17. rush — hurry
  18. mug — a cup
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. press — to push
  21. fall — to drop
  22. capital — money
  23. capital — a city
  24. fall — to drop

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