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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: wake · press · roll · cabinet · fine · capital · sharp · deal

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — a publisher
  3. fine — all right
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. capital — a city
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. wake — a trail
  9. roll — a cake
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. capital — money
  14. press — to push
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. roll — a list
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. fine — high quality
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. cabinet — ministers

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