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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 120 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.

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: lie · stock · press · suit · board · chest · capital · bowl

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. press — a publisher
  4. capital — a city
  5. press — to push
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. stock — shares
  10. board — to get on
  11. chest — of your body
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. chest — a box
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. press — newspapers
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. chest — of your body
  20. suit — to fit
  21. board — a committee
  22. capital — money
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — a soup base

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