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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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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: object · roll · track · chip · ground · capital · press · cap

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. object — to protest
  3. roll — a list
  4. cap — a lid
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. press — a publisher
  7. capital — money
  8. ground — crushed
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. cap — of ice
  11. object — a thing
  12. track — a path
  13. cap — a hat
  14. ground — a position
  15. track — a song
  16. capital — a city
  17. press — to push
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. ground — the earth
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — for betting
  22. object — an aim
  23. track — to keep track
  24. roll — a cake

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