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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chip · press · last · rule · bulb · capital

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. 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. capital — a big letter
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bulb — for light
  4. capital — a city
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bulb — for light
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. rule — a law
  11. capital — money
  12. last — finally
  13. last — to go on
  14. rule — government
  15. press — to push
  16. last — final
  17. chip — for betting
  18. 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