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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.

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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: press · object · wave · capital · jam · plane

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  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. press — to push
  2. capital — a city
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. press — newspapers
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. object — an aim
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. object — a thing
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. capital — money
  16. plane — a tool
  17. object — to protest
  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