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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. staff — employees
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. capital — a city
  7. press — newspapers
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. can — a tin
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — a cup
  12. cell — a phone
  13. staff — a stick
  14. can — to be able to
  15. mug — to rob
  16. cell — in biology
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — to push
  20. staff — employees
  21. perch — the fish
  22. chip — to eat
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. capital — money

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