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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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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: ruler · capital · club · stick · dip · press · row · kick

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. row — to paddle
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. club — a group
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. club — for golf
  7. row — a line
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. capital — a city
  10. press — to push
  11. club — for dancing
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. press — newspapers
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. press — a publisher
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. capital — money
  23. kick — in football
  24. ruler — for measuring

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