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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. press — newspapers
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cap — a lid
  6. race — humankind
  7. cap — a hat
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. cold — not warm
  10. capital — money
  11. cold — an illness
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pit — in a race
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. pit — a hole
  16. press — a publisher
  17. cap — of ice
  18. press — to push
  19. race — the arms race
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. race — a contest
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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