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

Word bank: pass · bark · pit · press · capital · rule

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pass — a permit
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. press — newspapers
  5. rule — a law
  6. capital — money
  7. capital — a city
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pit — a hole
  13. press — to push
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bark — to shout
  17. rule — government
  18. capital — a big letter

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