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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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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: content · current · capital · trunk · chair · saw · press · jam

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. press — to push
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. content — happy
  8. capital — money
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. saw — the tool
  11. content — the amount
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. press — a publisher
  15. saw — the tool
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. current — of water
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. current — electric
  22. chair — a leader
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. current — happening now

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