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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · press · scale · row · mug · capital · bulb · temple

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. press — a publisher
  3. capital — money
  4. press — to push
  5. bulb — for light
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — in music
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. press — newspapers
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mug — to rob
  15. object — an aim
  16. mug — a face
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. row — to paddle
  19. capital — a city
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bulb — for light
  22. row — a line
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. object — to protest

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