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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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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: stick · object · craft · rule · charge · cap · press · present

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. press — to push
  3. press — newspapers
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — a skill
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. press — a publisher
  9. craft — boats
  10. present — the time now
  11. object — a thing
  12. rule — government
  13. object — an aim
  14. cap — of ice
  15. rule — a law
  16. present — there
  17. object — to protest
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. charge — a price
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. present — a gift
  22. cap — a hat
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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