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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: mug · leaves · suit · press · jam · capital

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. suit — clothes
  5. press — a publisher
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. capital — a city
  8. mug — a face
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mug — a cup
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. press — to push
  15. suit — in cards
  16. press — newspapers
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. suit — to fit

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