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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: ruler · capital · press · chest · stand · pitcher · chip · kick

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. capital — money
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. chip — for betting
  7. capital — a city
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chest — of your body
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — to push
  17. press — a publisher
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. chest — a box
  23. kick — in football
  24. chest — of your body

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