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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.

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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: capital · snap · pound · can · press · lie · mouse · leaves

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. can — a tin
  3. capital — a city
  4. can — to be able to
  5. snap — to click
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. can — a tin
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. press — newspapers
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. press — to push
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. capital — money
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. pound — a weight
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. press — a publisher
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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