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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 116 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: deal · capital · object · rock · pop · leaves · bound · press

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — soda
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. rock — music
  8. bound — certain
  9. press — newspapers
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pop — music
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a city
  14. rock — a stone
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. press — a publisher
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. press — to push
  19. bound — obliged
  20. object — to protest
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. object — a thing
  23. bound — tied together
  24. capital — a big letter

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