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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 · cabinet · bay · pit · capital · current · race · press

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — the arms race
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. capital — money
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. capital — a city
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. current — of water
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. press — newspapers
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. current — electric
  19. race — humankind
  20. press — to push
  21. pit — in a race
  22. current — happening now
  23. press — a publisher
  24. pit — a hole

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