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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: capital · press · cue · can · track · fall · suit · stick

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — to drop
  3. cue — a hint
  4. capital — money
  5. press — to push
  6. suit — to fit
  7. press — newspapers
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cue — for pool
  11. press — a publisher
  12. cue — a signal
  13. fall — the season
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. suit — in cards
  16. track — to keep track
  17. can — to be able to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. can — a tin
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. capital — a city
  22. track — a song
  23. track — a path
  24. can — a tin

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